CQ WW SSB 15 meter Panafall

Bob N7ZO

Another target rich environment with great visibility thanks to Flexradio.

Michael Coslo

Yes indeed. I did a demo yesterday at our mountaintop station, and I noted that they should remember the panafalll the next time someone with a bad antenna and possibly no idea about propagation says "Ham radio is dying - I had my radio turned on and couldn't hear anyone."

Glenn

MYSTERY!!!!!    Yes, the target rich environment had some INTERESTING stuff!!!    I just about didn't get my cell phone camera on until this just about disappeared from the screen

Glenn W0GJ

Bob N7ZO

Hi Michael,

I have a ham relative (who shall remain unnamed) in the mid-west who bought a K3 after I told him what a great radio it was (about seven years ago).  He put an Alpha-Delta DX-CC multi-element dipole in his attic.  He always complained about how quiet the bands were and that he could never hear anything.  He especially wanted to work the local 80 meter nets but could never hear them

A few years ago I had a chance to visit and spend a few days with him.  The first thing I did was check out his radio system.  I found an open coax  going to his antenna (he had built his own cables and owned an multi-meter but had never thought to use it) and a miswire on the bal vs unbal configuration of his tuner.  He still swears that he had no problem tuning a low SWR (which lossy tuners will do into about any load).

Now his problem is too much noise.

73, Bob, N7ZO

Simon Lewis

looks like Hellschriber

Simon Lewis

I got one of those pics too!



not bad at the home temp QTH with a 1/4w vertical on 20


btw I love using the flex for hunting poor signals

check out this from a local VK!!  nice radar further down the band too


how wide can YOU go!

Al K0VM

It is more likely 14.233, DSSTV easy pal that allows water fall text messages.. usually call signs..

AL, K0VM

Bob N7ZO

FLDIGI also has video text:
http://www.w1hkj.com/FldigiHelp-3.21/html/id_configuration_page.html

73, Bob, N7ZO

Simon Lewis

never even knew FLDIGI could do that stuff .. need to go hunting more in that package!

Asher - K0AU

What info do you get from the waterfall in an SSB contest?  I use the pan, but turn off the waterfall.  Am I missing something?

dlwarnberg

yep... you can see each QSO.. even ones that are stacked over each other...  with filters and proper tuning you can pick each QSO and make the contacts..

Bob N7ZO

Hi Asher,

The waterfall is recent history.  As you are tuning up the band, the guy may be taking a breath between CW calls.  If you are just looking at the spectrum, you'll miss him.  Look at David's picture above, just to the right of his VFO the spectrum is quiet, but looking below at the waterfall, you can clearly see somebody calling.

73, Bob, N7ZO

Simon Lewis

in a word Asher yes you are

examples ... 

working 10m yesterday the band was up and down but using the pan adapter/waterfall I could 'see' stations appearing .. I could mentally note the ones I had worked and then hunt the ones I could see appear

Working 15m I could see propagation changing Sunday and knew to change bands

Working 20m I could see weaker stations in between the loud ones and knew where to look .. looking at the cluster for example I could see a station from A9 was active but could not see him when I looked ... working a few others around him I noticed him appear in the waterfall and then setting another rx slice I could swop TX focus to that and call him every now and again while still hunting around the band for other band fills!

The pan adapter/waterfall for me is the biggest selling points of the Flex 6500 ... if I didn't have them I don't think I could have made the leap from my TS590's as quick

I use all the tools I can muster when DXing .. waterfall and the pandapter are just another set  

BTW .. I used the flex on 20 during the peak time on Saturday night and was amazed again by the filtering capability of the 6500 ..

Superb rx audio too ... I sent some audio clips to a friend in the UK , he's been so impressed ... guess what ... he's buying a 6700

Give me Maestro and CAT out and I can sell this radio to anyone .. there isn't anything to beat it  

Bob N7ZO

In my comment above, I meant SSB calls obviously


dlwarnberg

For the money, dollar for dollar you can not beat a FLEX radio for contesting... JMO but hands down it's a clear winner