Past

Issues

Translate

View this email

CQ QRS
e

New Tuesday

Solar flares

in your browser

RagChew

schedule for 40m

and

80m

e Another YouTube

video about our net

e Anyone

for some

160m

going on in our WhatsApp

So much

e Another VK5PH
e

Key handling
Can you

Reminder

group

Kiwi SDR available for us to use

- avoiding

e A look at VK6KD’s
e

QRS?

pain and

injury

shack

help compile the WhatsApp
for 30Jan24

CQ QRS

feed for the newsletter?

Practice QSO

Net

Last Tuesday
What a funny night we had last Tuesday.
had predicted propagation
come to fruition in some

The BOM

Space Weather Service

problems from solar flares... which seemed to

places.

On the East side of Australia, the first half hour seemed

unusually quiet,

then things just took off and | was flat-out for the whole night.
side of Australia in the West, stations who would

each-other either struggled, or just didn’t hear anything;
the 80m

band was dead quiet in WA - most unusual.

Have to wait for the SA reports to find out.
least 28 stations on or listening in;

On the other

normally be able to work
most of the night,

And in the middle?

Never-the-less, we still had at

see below for the reports received.

Here’s this week’s list of stations heard on Tuesday’s net:

RSS

23Jan24 CQ ORS Net
Total active stations this week:

Total

QS0s

(note that this figure won't be correct - Q50s may be counte

Black text- QSLed, Green text - heard but not worked,

MY CALL |lling q
+

Qsoi

Qs0 2

Qso 3

Blue text - incomplete Q50

Qso 4

aso 5

(not OSLed).

QS0 6

Qso7

Qso 8

Qso 9

VK6IS

| VKGHRC

r Listening if mo G50)

VK1HF/p
VK1KVS

VKITE/m

VK12ZD)
VKZAOE
VK2BHO
VK2BHO
VK2DLF
VK2GAZ
VK2IK
VK2KI 40m
VK2KI 80m
VK2NAP
VK2NV
VK2TER

VK2KI
VK2KI

VKSCZ

VK2GAZ | VK7KPC |

VK5CZ

VK2WEO
VK3ACU
VK3ADX
VK3BAP
VK3BTV
VK3BU

VK2KI
VKSPH | VK3BAP |
VK3ADX | VK2KI

VK2KI

VK3CLD/p
VK3DBD
VK3KLE
VK3KO
VK3TBR

VK3ADX

VK2KI

VKSPH

VIK2KI

| VK2DLF

VK3BYD

VK5CZ

VK7ZA | VK2GAZ | VK2A0E |

VK2KI

VKSET

VKSFA
VK5FD
VKSIP
VKSKFG
VKSPH
VKSPL
VK6AAV
VK6ATB
VK6BEK
VK6CK
VK6DEV
VK6DV
VK6FN
VK6GAL
VK6BHRC
VK6IR
VK6IS
VK6JDM
VK6JK
VK6KD
VK6KHZ
VK6KO
VK6LD
VK6MK
VK6MU
VK6NC
VK6NT
VK6ENW
VK6PZT
VK6QI
VK6TY
VK6XU
VK6WE | CO
VK6YV
VK7WW
VK7KPC
VK7ZA

New

Schedule

VI2KI

VK3ADX | VK3KLE
VK6IS
VK6IS

VK6IS

| VKGHRC

VK6BEK | VK6KHZ | VK6PZT

VK6BEK | VK6PZT | VKGAAV | VK6KHZ |

VKSC#

VK2KI

VK6PZT
VK6IS | VK6PZT

VK6KHZ | VK6WE
VK6IS
VK6KD
VK2KI
VK6IS
VKGHRC | VK6BEK | VKGAAV | VKGPZT

VK2KI_ | VK2AOE
VKSCZ | VK2GAZ

for Tuesday’s

Seems that the 40m

Net

Preludes are popular... so this coming Tuesday, we’re

going to try a different schedule (to see if it’ll be three times as popular?)...
the first three hours will be on 40m, then the last two hours will be on 80m.

Please drop down to About the CQ QRS Net at the end of this newsletter to
find out which frequencies match your available time.

Reports

& Comments

So here’s this week’s
From

Craig VK3CLD/p,

back at Tumut

reports.

NSW:

Listening from Tumut on 40m:
- QSO VK3ADX
- QSO VK5PH

and VK2KI
and VK2KI

Off on social duties now.
[Hi Craig.

Thanks for letting me

know and for being there;

| also saw

you on the VK6QS SDR before the
net moved to 8Om.

Trust your

travels are going well, and that we'll
hear you on air again soon mate.]

From

Brendan

VK3BAP

at Truganina:

Thanks again for the invite to join in Mark.
and had to leave for a meeting

| didn't have much time tonight

before 80M started. Pity because I'm trying

to test a new antenna for 80 so hopefully next week.
So on 40m,

| had a FB QSO with Merv VK3ADX

and | heard you earlier 599

in QSO with the same.
GL ES CU AGN

73,

VK3BAP.
[Thanks for your report Brendan - glad you could squeeze one QSO in.]
From

Garry VK2GAZ

at Hobartville:

Hi Mark VK2Kl,
Band conditions were good
little quiet.

here, if a

My contacts for last

night were:
George VK2AOE
lan VK5CZ

7.034

3.549
10:58

Lance VK7ZA 7.034
Thanks for keeping us all on the air.

Best regards,

09:43

11:08

Garry VK2GAZ
[Thanks Garry - | like school holidays -which allow people like you to get on
and have some fun on a Tuesday night.]
From

Richard VKG6HRC

at Padbury:

Hi Mark

CQ QRS

Net

Another very interesting net last night. Very quiet on 40 mx to start with
but got busy later, only locals heard. Started tuning around on 80 mx at
0900z - very quiet to start with and conditions not that great. Conditions
improved
VK5CZ

later and | was hearing the locals and one eastern state station,

keeping busy over there. Towards the end of the session caught up

with Mark VK2KI and got a 129 rst!

| was only running 10w so not

surprising.
Heard on 40mx

VK6IS
VK6BEK

brief QSO

VK6KHZ
VK6PZT
Heard on 80mx:
VK6PZT
VK5CZ
VK2KI
Post

brief QSO
Morseum

Another good

AllStar

net this morning comparing

notes.

VK6FN
VK6LD
VK6QI
VK6KD
checked

in - thanks to all.

It will be interesting to see the reports in the

next QRS Ragchew. As usual, thanks for your time and support.

So back to my lessons and practice
drills, hope to do better next time.
73
Richard VK6HRC

[Thanks for your reports Richard, and for running the Post Morseum on
Wednesday morning - 0600 WA time on the AllStar South-West net;

AllStar

Node 42482 - if any Eastern or SA stations would like to join in,
Wednesdays from 22002 to 2300z, that’d be terrific.]
From

Paul

Hello

Mark,

VK5PH

at Glen

Osmond:

40m:

0833UT

VK3ADX

Merv

0840UT

VK3KLE

Paul - aka speedy from Stawell - he claimed that flat

feet prevented

him from

entering

the Stawell

Gift ;< )

Had a good QSO with both of them.
| listened on 80m for a while after 40m

but there didn’t seem to be much

that | could hear initially - | think that there was a Coronal
arriving yesterday.

Mass Ejection

| had to do some club emails/paperwork afterwards so |

didn’t hang around to see who came
| picked a bad callsign VK5PH

up later.

given my inability to send CW well - | have

trouble sending CW at slow speed (not that | am

much

better at higher

speeds) but to send QRS | find it easier to send on a straight key and when
get going a bit faster, | swap over to the dual paddle. When

| send more

slowly, | find that | occasionally send 4 dits in my head for a H but only 3 on
the key and likewise 5 dits for a 5 but only 4 on the key - so you might well
have heard a S instead of a H.
Some of the guys are going a bit faster so in the second
40m

half hour of the

session might it be possible to go a little faster?

Thanks for running the session and coordinating the reports.

Duoconical Antenna
ee

FYI | have

a fourth

KiwiSDR

Ber =]

on line -

this is a Mark 2 http://sdr.ironstonerange.com:8076

73
Paul
Paul Hoffmann
VK5PS VK5PH
Training Officer Adelaide Hills
Amateur Radio Society

[Hi Paul.

Yup - interesting to think about how our brains process CW - see

comments from the other Paul VK3KLE below.

This week | really struggled

chatting to my complement - another Paul - VK2/IK up at Moss Vale - every
time | sent his callsign, | got it wrong, and sent mine!
about your new Mk2 SDR;

Thanks for the news

when you want to see your Mk1, let me know - |

know of two interested buyers. ]
From

George VK2AOE

at Kogarah:

Here's my report for this week Mark:
| wanted to use the totally HOMEBREW
from BUNNINGS

station (including the key made

parts). Alas the receiver can’t get that high on the band.

Still got to operate my QRP (2.5w) “mooncake”

transmitter (it’s housed

an old mooncake tin).

141-16v

ACT

Hermes-—Lite

"ip
er
y Te

itd

TCT
LUE

10ly

ag
ot i Rea 228

fe
a

| listened

at the start on the VK2AAK

timed out, on my AIRSPY DISCOVERY
Hermes

online SDR

HF.

at Forster and

My final QSO

when

happened

that

on the

Lite Il.

QSO's happened

with:

VK2GAZ

- Gary (on mooncake)

VK7KPC

- Peter (on mooncake)

VK5CZ - lan (on the Hermes)
| also made the obligatory (for me @) video of the adventure
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaQWfqRDrGoVolToaoNVIzZ3pCM52uxV6&si=6HX2gnn1lO85S9Ynr

Click here for VK2AOE’s YouTube of Tuesday’s Net

Had a fun evening.... Oh and worked one non QRS station Adrian VK2WF.
73 de VK2AOE
George
[Wow!

Thanks for the YouTube of Tuesday’s net George.

nicely in Bowning with your MoonCake,

| copied you

but you were busy each time.

Catch you next week perhaps?/
From

Kees

VK1KVS

at Wanniassa:

Hello Mark,

Got to CQ QRS Net late last Tuesday evening.
with lan VK5CZ

| heard you working

RST 369 around 22:45 hrs on 3546kKHz.

you finished also on 3546kHz

RST 599

| put out a call after

but heard nothing. | suspect you had moved

on by then. As did 1, QRT, and towards the land of nod. There is always next
week...
73

Kees

VK1KVS

[Thanks for your report Kees.

Sorry | didn’t hear you - too quick on the VFO

/ guess! ]
From

Peter VK6IS

at Wundowie:

Hey Mark,
This week was with vk6bek,, vk6pzt,,
vk6aav,, vk6kKhz,, vkK2ki,,
Who would be up for 40m

ona

Thursday ~ 1400wst ish ??

On your question about the length of
the RagChew

newsletter - yes, | do

read it all :)
but - maybe split it in half ? Send an
bespoke version to each participant?
That shouldn't take much

extra

time.

73
Peter
VKO6IS

[Hi Peter.

Looks like you had some fun on Tuesday, despite the conditions.

At 1400WA

time on 40m,

the band most likely won't be open to the East

yet (the solar radiation is keeping the ALF too high) but should be ok for
comms around WA,

Perhaps do what you’ve done recently - post on the

WhatsApp CQ QRS group when you're on and see who comes up.

Thanks

for reading the news/etter mate - | knew there was a reason | was spending
most of the week on it every week!

Try again with your suggestion for the

email mate - 1 don’t yet understand what you're suggesting with a bespoke
email to all 7]
From

Richard VK6PZT

at Dalyellup:

A few good contacts on Tuesday night, including a new one for me
VK6KHZ

- Ron - on 7039 - 5NN

but ron wasn’t able to give a sig report

Heard Dan VK6WE
VK6IS - Peter 3555 599 both ways with nice stead code from peter.
VK6KD

- David 3.562 - gave David 599 but he had lots of noise and coulnd

make

me out all that well.

VK6KHZ
Ron.

- again

this time on 3555 - 599 both ways

| will slow down

a bit more

.. sorry for the fast code

next time.

VK2KI - our usual long haul very low in the noise QSO
Kind regards
Richard
[Thanks Richard,
From

Shaun

Hi Mark,

cheers. ]

VK6BEK

at Quinns

Rocks:

mark.

| moved

my end-fed antenna around again this week but the band was still

noisier than usual.
also worked

| managed

Richard VK6HRC

to work Peter VK6IS on 40m

some

and |

on 40m.

There was a bit of CW action here at the low end of 80m
local time;

and 80m

big local CW signals at a good clip.

around 6:30pm

| think they were

trying to work the Clipperton expedition on 80m... and then they were
gone.
Regards
Shaun - VK6BEK
[Thanks Shaun;

bad luck that you’re having trouble re-establishing the

noise null with your antenna.... unless of course, something else has
changed.... a new plug-pack in the house for instance?]
Also From

me, VK2KI

Extended

Zepp

at Araluen

NSW:

at Bowning

antenna

from

using

home

my TS-50 and

and also using the Tecsun

In a word... busy, busy, busy (my maths isn’t too sharp!).
a nice weekend

Double-

up at Bowral in the Southern

SDR

| got home from

Highlands North East of here

in time to get set-up and ready to go on 40m.

| put my QRM

noise canceller in the circuit and sorted out the Tee-match

Eliminator
antenna coupler

on my 80m double extended Zepp... but there was something wrong suddenly the relays in the noise canceller weren't working correctly, and
my transmitter wasn’t producing

power... another strange switching fault

with the noise canceller.... so | turned it off and operated

bare-foot (bare-

eared?).
First off the blocks was Merv VK3ADX

at Ballarat who was pouring in at RST

599.
Things went quiet for about half an
hour until | saw Paul VK5PH
Osmond
Merv.

se Ls

at Glen

imetit

on the Tecsun SDR calling

With no response,

| tried to

catch Paul - he was also 599 but
didn’t hear me.

However,

| did hear

Paul a short while later talking to his
namesake, VK3KLE

at Stawell.

At the same time on the Tecsun SDR,

Youtube CO

£3

| could hear Merv chatting to George

VK2DLF at St Marys, before | chatted to lan VK1HF/p at Mount Coree - 599
both ways despite being on 40m
wave

perhaps?

Next Peter VK7KPC
VK3KLE;

at Evandale was thundering

in at RST 599, as was Paul

and by about 0900z, | could see my signal starting to come

through to WA, S4 on the VK6QS
VK5FD

and relatively close - possibly ground-

SDR.

To round out 40m,

at Blakeview who also RST 599 to Bowning

| chatted to Allen

and S6 into the WA SDR.

Great to see five QRS QSOs going on
at the same time on the Tecsun
SDR.

That got me thinking that

perhaps the one hour 40m

prelude

was too short, if the band was going
to open up across the country as the
Absorption

Layer Frequency dropped

below 7MHz at around 0900z.

On sliding down to 80m,
Garry VK2GAZ

| heard George VK2AOE

at Hobartville, before | workied

Paul VK2IK at Moss Vale;

at Kogarah chatting to

my callsign complement,

I must have been getting tired... without thinking

| kept using my callsign instead of his!

Paul’s signal from his 10 Watts went

from RST 559 at the start to nothing with slow and deep QSB - in the end |
was struggling to copy anything of his overs through the noise here
unfortunately.

The QSB continued in a contact with Peter VK7KPC’s 20

Watt Racal transceiver, but when Jordan VK3ACU

came

up also with 20

Watts, his signals was a solid 579 with no QSB.

About that time, lan VK5CZ

posted

on the CQ QRS WhatsApp

group that

he was on 40m operating portable at
Clare with a new antenna.

| zipped

the Tecsun SDR over to have a
listen, and he’d hooked-up with
George VK2AOE.
Next | chatted to Allen at Blakeview
who was RST 589 on 80, before |
caught lan (599) when the mozzies
drove him inside and down to 80m.
lan reported working
VK2GAZ

both Garry

and Lance VK/ZA at

Margate on 40.
As the sun set in the West, | worked
Richard VK6PZT RST 359 from
Dalyellup;

| was only S2 in WA, and

we were both surprised that we
managed

to exchange

reports ok on

the QSB peaks.

After 1200z, Chris VK2NAP

had

finished his sound control gig and
having already set up his antenna
and Wagner Marine Radio coupler,

was able to chat to him RST 579
from Marrickville.
Next | caught Mister Reliable, Peter
VK6IS at Wundowie

(RST 469, and

guess what, we talked about the
weather - as one does.
Around

1250z, | tried to hook up with Richard VK6HRC

his better judgement.

at Padbury, against

| copied his callsign with the QSB, but at RST 139,

we both gave up the struggle.

| rounded out the night with a chat with Paul

VK3KLE at Stawell who was RST 579 with a bit of QSB.
Paul was using his 160m

sort-of

doublet (see above for the
description);

he was transmitting

on his Kenwood TS-590s and using
his Drake R4C on receive;

in the

day, these were just the ducksguts amateur radio receivers - just
ask Max VKO6OFN.

From

VK6QI

at Bedfordale

via the VK6QS

and

the VK6CRO

First up using the VK6QS

SDR

Remote

SDR at Brookton,

Padbury and Peter VK6IS at Wundowie
them

both on WhatsApp,

the SDR as well.

at Brookton,

the VK6SR

Remote

at Carnarvon:

| heard both Richard VK6HRC

calling CQ.

| could see that Craig VK3CLD

was listening In on

Shortly after | heard Peter chatting to Shaun VK6BEK at

Quinns Rocks then Mike VK6AAV at Forrestfield;

| hadn’t seen Mike for a

while, so it was good to see him back on.
The band then went very quiet In
WA - watching on the SDR while
being flat-out over here, pretty
much

all | Saw was my own signals

and the others from over East.
wondered

whether there was

another re-run of the Morse Code
Hard Quiz on television or
something?
Came

Finally, Richard VK6PZT

up (speaking of the devil) as

did David VK6KD

- however, talking

on the Post Morseum

the next

morning,

like the problem

it sounded

was the unusual conditions in WA people were there, but just couldn't

en |

oCOy Al

S35

a oe Ob

hear each-other - the impact of the
solar-flares perhaps?

Other
Other things
From

Peter VK7KPC

News

I’ve received from

our 100-odd

readers.

at Evandale:

Hi Mark, Nearly ready for next
Tuesday.

Frequency agile both

bands and 15W cw. Just need to
clear bench space to the right for
Key and notepad.
Cheers

After posting an alert for

Peter vk/kpc

[Apparently you can never have too
many toys.

Perhaps we should have

a guiz - what goodies in Peter’s
shack can you identify correctly?]
After I sent out Tuesday’s
Marys

net reminder,

George

VK2DLF

at St

commented:

You should leave a note or a reminder on the FDU
[Probably a good idea George.
time as it is;

However,

FB page.

|’m struggling to get it all done in

would someone in the group who’s already on the FDU

FaceBook page (or any other group site / email where there might be
interest for that matter) be able to forward my Tuesday reminders to those
other platforms please? |
From John VK5ET

at Hope Valley just before Tuesday’s

G'day Mark, hope all well your way. Temp

tonight the " Hot Box " wont be used

41C

net:

forecasted today

!!!

73's ,keep KOOL .

John, VK5ET

[Good plan John!

We missed you. ]

From

at Moss

Paul

VK2IK

Vale:

Hi Mark,

Thanks for the ongoing
low bands recently,

messages.

| have not been able to operate on the

but have SWL to the QRS net a few times - good to

hear it is still going well. Hope to be QRV on 80m

in the next few weeks.

73
Paul
VK2IK

[Great to hear that you did in fact get your low bands sorted out for the net
Paul - good to chat to you again on Tuesday.

What was the problem that

kept you away since we last worked, back in August - antenna or noise
perhaps?
From

|[ hope you'll now be able to come up regularly].

Chris VK2NAP

at Marrickville:

Tonight it’s Matso’s Ginger Beer. Just
shy of a standard drink. The antenna
is up, | have pre-tuned the Wagner
Marine Radio tuner for 80m.
making

promises but | may be on

sometime
VK2RH

after 11:00pm.

I'll spot on

if | don’t hear anyone.

a good QSO
Cheers

Not

party

Have

Chris VK2NAP
dit dit

[Thanks for the heads up Chris.
Paul VK3KLE
giving

at Stawell

160m a

Terrific to work you when you came up.]

and Jordan VK3ACU

at Meredith

have

been

try:

[8:03 pm, 26/01/2024]
rematches for 160m

Paul VK3KLE

Klemke:

Ok guys retuned

and

1.830 MHz

[8:04 pm, 26/01/2024]

Paul VK3KLE

Klemke: Any reports or replys much

appreciated calling now bit early but back in the day the used 160m a
[8:31 pm, 26/01/2024]

Paul VK3KLE

Klemke:

Had to check all ant terminal

connections . Loose knife switch. Screw calling
[9:37 pm, 26/01/2024] Jordan VK3ACU

lot

again cq

Clarke: Sorry I’ve just seen this are

you still calling?
[9:48 pm, 26/01/2024]

Paul VK3KLE

Klemke:

looking for a intermittent swr problem.

Found vk2wf and had gso still

I'll try later ago. Out to shed end of

feed now
[10:58

pm,

26/01/2024]

Paul VK3KLE

Klemke:

Back on

1830

- 1829.8

had

too clean roatary inductor contacts . Hope that’s the ant sorted this time
[10:59

pm,

26/01/2024]

Paul VK3KLE

Klemke:

Dead

flat swr for now

at least

in shack on 160m
[Any others interested in having a go on 160m outside CQ QRS net times?]
160m

anyone?

From

Paul VK3KLE

at Stawell.

Thanks again for organising the evening.
sending with the bencher paddle.

Before | got tired | did some

hand

It’s a bit like playing a musical

instrument, practice practice practice. Actually the learning technique Is
quite similar;

| did piano study when younger.

By the way my Drake R4C sounds almost identical with headphones on CW
with matched filter widths as my Kenwood TS-590sg.

| have a vintage

Netcurtis keying sequencer that does the QSK muting

. Might try semi QSK

setting as the TS-590 uses relay switching and it’s quiet clunky to listen to

lol @.
The 160m

doublet is working well on 80m. The layout is a bit more similar

to a long wire with an elevated counterpoise wire in a p shape . | have that
and the end fed 40m

connected to back of TS-590 - so the end-fed has a

big elevated counterpoise;

no wonder it works well.

160m

has been quiet at nite

recently. Do you think it might be
worth rustling up some CW ops for
top band? . Not many advanced
hams

have a 160m

antenna.

block is 1500 sq meters so | can get
80m across diagonally and fit the
remaining 80m

lower In a zigzag.

| also have a Johnson Viking if we run a vintage night on 160m.
matching VFO

122 too - | even have a good

It has a

rock set from 1802-1812.

You probably guessed that by running the drake R4c with the TS-590
listen to my own CW tx and hear the wanted
frequencies.

| can

station and compare

I’ve put a high value resistor in shunt with the neg bias mute

to give the 2nd mixer tube enough trickle to hear my own signal.

It’s much

more refined than just listening to a side tone key source.
Interesting reading and making

mistakes with CW;

it’s common

both word- and letter-swap in our heads. | write down

bits of the QSO and

follow a callsign letter-by-letter to check afterward when
Very short term memory
erectus, our perception

repeated again.

is supposed to be the most reliable;

to medium-term there can be differences.

for us to

from short-

As mammals/human

homo-

both vision and hearing - even touch and smell -

can be different to what’s actually happening. Always keep an open

mind;

our brains do typically follow the same convergent rules... but not always.
The understood

rules our brains follow are used in magic acts to trick us - |

think General Al May be more reliable than us in the future soon.
Regards Paul
Kind Regards
Paul
VK3KLE

[160m QRS sounds like a great opportunity Paul.
try after local dusk?

Anyone

want to give ita

| think you might have a bit of fun on 160m if you

regularly push out a note on WhatsApp asking for interested people.

| know

Max VK6FN Is a keen top-bander, and | think Stuart VK6MK might also have
a 160m antenna, and I’m sure there are lots of others in our team who
could have a go.

I'd love to give 160 a try too... but there’s just too many

other things on the priority list!]
KPH

Encrypted

CW Transmission

You may have read last week that the Historic US Naval transmitting
station KPH just North of San Fransisco was going to do another encrypted
transmission
method,

last weekend

- this time using the Numbers encryption

rather than the Enigma

simulation.

Did you have a go?

| know

Richard VK6PZT did - and hopefully he’ll be up for another certificate.
If you missed out, now that the time for certificate hunters has expired, |
can share the audio with you;
microphone on my phone,

this was just recorded speaker-to-

but you should be able to read it - albeit that it’s

sent at about 15 wom.

Click here to download

For details, decoding

audio file

procedures and a dead drop to Mission Critical

Information, see the MRHS

Events page:

https://www.radiomarine.org/mrhs-

events
Let Richard and me know how you went.
Preventing
Some

Pain - Key Handling

of our team

members

suffer from wrist, hand, elbow or arm pain -

possibly associated with sending CW - possibly, keyboard

use, possibly

tennis, possibly golf or possibly carrying heavy buckets - who knows.

really don’t want to lose any of our team through

injury, so learning how to

correctly use a key is probably timely.
Claude VKITE / VK2CL has sent me this really corny old US Army video
about learning the Morse Code - it’s a real scream,

but it does cover correct

key set-up and handling - albeit, whether or not you should rest your elbow
on the table is subject to debate.... depending
you learned the technique.

on which side of the globe

| learned from my father who was trained at a

Maritime College in Europe - so like the dinner table.... elbows off!
Nowadays,

| operate from a standing desk (ie my desk is up at about hip

height and | stand rather than sit on a chair - better for the back) - so my
elbow hovers about 10cm above the desk anyway when

keying.

So here’s the video for both your education and your amusement.
https://youtu.be/walFtVodHHM?si=GwfdA3ZkDv4owt9f
Thanks

Claude.

This Week’s

Topic of Interest

Noise

Over the last many RagChews,

we’ve talked about 80m

noise - propagation

of static crashes, switch mode

power supplies, noise cancellers and artificial

intelligence noise elimination.

There’s lots more to discuss, but I’m going

to leave the next bits of the puzzle for a week or two, rather than bore you
with the same topic.

Don’t worry - lots more to follow.

David VK6KD
So instead of talking about noise, we’re going to take a peek at the shack of
one of our many active team

members

- David VK6KD from Ballajura.

Pla

The shack room is not a pretty sight.

It doubles as my electronics work

bench so | usually have a number of repair jobs and projects on the go.
In the photo you can spot my IC718 and paddle keyer which
nights.

Also my Malahit SDR receiver combined

will gives me a waterfall display.
calling CQ much

| use on Tue

with my antenna switch

This makes it easier to spot CW stations

easier than working the

VFO up and down the band.

Antenna

photo shows my hexagon

in the background

beam

(lowest matched freg 14MHz)

and

my long wire end-fed which | use for 80m

CW.

vehicle mobile setup has a number of HF, VHF, UHF radios.

When

off grid,

only the HF usually gets a work out.

| take the CW paddle with me on trips

SO | can chime in from any location.
Brief radio history:
e

1975-1982.

DX on 27MHz Working Tasmanian,

Indonesian and East

Coast stations running a 3 element yagi beam.
e

2011 VKS/37

4wd

Monitoring/Flying doc service in prep for Cape York

Camping trip.
e

11-2011

Foundation

e 07-2017 Advanced

HAM

lic. VK6FCAT

lic. VK6KD

Photo (b&w) me in the late 1970s with an 18ch 2/7MHz Electraphone AM CB
on my pushbike in Mundaring;

powered

by 12v motor bike battery.

the right, my late Dad VK6KLE and me - remembrance

And on

day 2021.

Hope to catch you all on air.

Regards David
VK6KD
[Thank you David - terrific to helo our team get to know you Just that little
bit better.

Hey, your neighbours must really love that Hex Beam!

So who’s shack are we going to peek into next?

I’m keen to share pictures

and background profiles for all our team members;
mark.bosma@icloud.com/

email to

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
EMF goes by a common

name &@s.....

The function of a tripler stage in a transmitter is to
e

multiply the frequency of the incoming signal by three

e triple the power output
e

enable two final stages to be fed by the one oscillator

act as an impedance doubling device

A single side band transmitter could cause interference to stations on
adjacent frequencies if it
e

had shorted turns in the tank coil

had ripple on the power supply

had leakage of RF into the mains cable

e was overdriven
On which of the following frequencies can VK4JRL and VK6FHLV
2-way telephony contact?
(a) 28.625 MHz
(b) 52.56 MHz
(c) 144.50 MHz
(d) 439.25

MHz

not hold a

Answers

next week.

Answers

from

last week’s

does

EMF

What

Answer:

Electro

stand

Motive

Quiz:

for?

Force

primarily by the

magnetic effect and axial rotation of the earth

magnetic effect of the sun

ultraviolet and other radiation from the sun

rotation of the moon

Answer:

Ultraviolet and

other radiation from

e A half wave dipole antenna
approximate

resonant at 28 MHz, would

have an

length of

5 metres

10 metres

38 metres

56 metres

Answer:

the sun

5 Metres

e A major distinction between the privileges for licensees of Standard
stations and licensees of Foundation stations is that:
(a) Standard operators may use computer generated data modes

but

Foundation operators may not
(ob) Foundation

licensees do not have access to HF but Standard

licensees do
(c) Standard operators can use CW

but Foundation operator cannot

(d) Only Standard operators may use FM on the 29 MHz band
Answer:

(a)

Standard operators may use computer generated data modes

but Foundation operators may not.

How did you go?

Tuesday’s,

CQ QRS

Net

Reminder.
Teamwork
Thank you so much to our outstanding team of 19 contributors this week!
Thanks to:

VK3CLD, VK3BAP, VK2GAZ, VK6HRC, VK5PH, VK2AOE, VK1KVS,

VK6IS, VK6PZT, VK6BEK, VK7KPC, VK2DLF, VK5ET, VK2IK, VK2NAP, VK3KLE,
VK3ACU, VK1TE and VK6KD. Thank you so much team - it’s the thoughts of
the team

plus the photos that makes

RagChew

so interesting to the 120-

plus subscribers.
So back to the Slow CW QSO
Next Tuesday’s

practice net.

Net

Our CQ QRS Net will be on as always on Tuesday from around 0800z;

see

below for details.

At the risk of causing confusion, this week we’re going to

try having the first three hours on 40m, followed

by two hours on

80m. We'll see how we go, and decide after Tuesday whether to continue
that way, or try something different. Stay tuned.
So, it doesn’t matter whether you're brand new to CW and want to try just
exchanging
chew....

callsigns and RST reports, or you’re ready for a good old rag

we’ll have fun on Tuesday giving both 40m

and 80m

atry.

Reports
Please let me know by email to
hear on Tuesday’s net.

mark.bosma@icloud.com

who you work or

The reports are important - because during the net,

| 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

Please let me know also whether you like three

hours of 40m followed by 80m, or would
Also, as always,

prefer something

different.

please send me anything for the RagChew

newsletter that

you think might be of interest to our group.
Post

Morsum

And for those who are within earshot of an AllStar node, Richard VK6HRC
will run our Post Morsum

on the South West AllStar net (via repeaters and

hotspots all over WA) from 0600 WA time.

If you’re in WA, all you need is

an FM 2m or 70cm transceiver and an AllStar node nearby.

If you’re

elsewhere, you may be able to connect your local AllStar-enabled
to the net, or you

have

a listen via Echolink.

mark.bosma@icloud.com )

if | can help with that.

CQ QRS

can

Let me

know

repeater

(

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.
in on the WhatsApp

during the net,

I'd really like you to join

group if possible. Please let Stuart VK6MK

stujen55@gmail.com

or me mark.bosma@icloud.com

Know your mobile

phone number, and we'll add you to the group.

dah-di-di-di-dah
For those who | work on Tuesday night, please accept my apologies in
advance for the pauses, repeated dah-di-di-di-dahs etc during our QSO,
while | attempt to pick up and log callsigns that | hear on the SDRs and
sending WhatsApp

notes, etc.

€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!

About

the CQ
Here’s

New

Extended

the

QRS

Net

details.

Prelude

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

Net. CQ QRS will start at 0800z until about 1300z+.

1600 - 2100+

WA time, 1830 - 2330+

Practice

This translates to

SA Summer time and 1900 - 2400+

Eastern Summer time.

For the first three hours (0800z to about 1100z) we’ll be on 40m from
7030kHz

to 7040kHz.

For the last two hours (around
3540kHz

1100z to 13002), we'll be on 80m from

to 3570kHz.

So tune around and call anyone you hear, or find yourself a quiet spot in
the designated 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).
Landing

Zone

If the band goes really quiet, call and listen on 7032kHz or 3555kHz.
catch someone, there’s no need to QSY - enjoy the frequency.
forget to tune around

If you

But don’t

if it’s quiet - we have lots of operators with crystal

locked transmitters - and they could be anywhere within the segments.

For

those who are locked, or can only transmit outside the segments, send a
message on our WhatsApp CQ QRS group advising of your current
frequency.
Speed
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,

hammer the key.

Please send slowly where you can and concentrate on

not show how fast you can

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

the longer we go with our

non-transmitting

have - and they will most likely appreciate your QRS!

listeners we

So, 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.
Matching

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!
PSE

QRS

And if someone

is sending too fast to comfortably copy - “PSE RPT PSE

QRS” or “AGN?

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,
before replying.
Whose

frequency

is this anyway?

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.
CW 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 1300z - 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

respectively.

VK2KI / VK6QI

CQ QRS
We

have a terrific group

WhatsApp
on WhatsApp

who

Feed
share QRS

information

during the net and during the week.
Please let me know if you'd like to be in the WhatsApp

group - I'd really like

all of our net participants to join in the fun mark.bosma@icloud.comAs

speak I’m compiling the newsletter mid-week and listening to some of our
team

members

chatting on 40m

QRS, coordinated via our WhatsApp

Group.

This week there’s been a huge amount of traffic on our Group - liaison

during our Tuesday night session, discussion about DX stations not slowing
down for QRS callers, SKCC Straight Key Month

liaison, people operating

portable and mobile, people testing new and old equipment,

surveying

preferred power levels, chatting about re-building equipment and fixing
over-powered

attenuator resistors, testing new 160m

out switch contacts and feed impedance,

160m

antenna and sorting

beacon.

Boy it’s been busy

- it’s just unfortunate that not all of our team are able to watch the fun on
WhatsApp.

Anyway, to whet your appetite - and perhaps encourage

people to join in, here’s some of the recent images shared.

—_—

5 peeps

mp INE is ca

———a

A
-

“a
Slate

a
Il

om
|

/
/

Un |
v7

But | need

help with the WhatsApp feed.

Compiling the feed of what took

place over the previous week takes me much too long each week;

so I’m

looking for a volunteer or two to subscribe to the Group, then copy/paste
the WhatsApp feed and photos to a file for me to import into the RagChew
newsletter.

Please let me know if you'd like to help.

unfortunately | need to suspend

In the mean time,

regular WhatsApp feed in the newsletter,

pending a bit of help.

The opinions expressed

in the RagChew

The opinions do not necessarily

Send

comments

newsletter are those of the individual

reflect that of the editor or of the CQ

about the RagChew

QRS

contributors.

Group

members.

Newsletter.

Our mailing address is:

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You

can

update

your preferences

eB INTUIT
Es mailchimp

or unsubscribe