JT65 - A new experience

Went for an eyeball (yes, two days in a row) with 9W2RUT, 9W2MZY & 9M2CJ last night and while browsing the Japanese Radio magazine that was brought by CJ, came across few articles on operating digital mode. There is this melodic signal which I was curious about and I've no idea what it was... until last night that it. CJ told me that it was actually JT65 mode. So, went ahead and searching for more information on this mode and found a software called JT65-HF. Did playing around with it this morning and found a new playing ground ...

BTW, it is a bit different with PSK that I've accustomed with, you need to wait for a turn to transmit, even or odd minute and need to wait almost the whole minute to get a text appearing on your screen. Patient seems needed if you're working on this mode :)

Here is the screen capture of my contact this morning.

I've used WSPR before for low power but it was more on propagation reporting tool and no QSO involved but this JT65 let us do a simple QSO, CQ - Signal Report - Bye Bye.

More to explore with other modes after this.

Going QRP - Do more with less!

I've been thinking of going QRP for quite sometime and I believe I've enough courage to go for it now. Someone advertised on local ham FB group, selling his barely used 4 months old Yaesu FT-817ND and I grabbed this opportunity to get the unit. Haven't really go out and set this up but I'll do this in near future. One thing though, when using the stock vhf/uhf antenna that comes in the box, the set produces white noise, around S6-7. I need to put high squelch on vhf/uhf just to remove the white noise. Have no idea why it is acting that way. Anyway, vhf/uhf is not my main target when getting the set. I'm eyeing for contacts on HF, I've bought a portable Buddistick HF vertical antenna when I was first licensed in 2007 and yet to fully use it .. probably this is the right time to test the antenna.

As of now, my QRP setup consists of the following:

1. Yaesu FT-817ND

2. Buddipole's Buddistick Deluxe vertical antenna / G5RV Jr. as backup 

3. External Pb battery - GP 12V 7.2Ah
4. LDG Z-11PRO II (ordered, waiting for delivery - hopefully within this week)

BTW, I remembered that someone gave a BHi DSP module back in 2008. I'm going to install it into the FT-817ND when I've Weerut's time to work on it. My hands are no longer good in soldering little stuff, might as well ask for help before it becomes "tikus membaiki labu".

Found old, no longer used LowePro camera bag, nice go kit bag for rig, ATU and battery.

Only thing now .. time to go for QRP-pedition .. Pantai Jeram anyone? :)

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Latest update, Rut had time to help me out with installing the bhi DSP & putting a battery holder into the LDG.

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Next will be the HF/RF clipper, still waiting for it in the post :)
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Update again: My first QRP contact was with 9V1RN/Nan on 29th Dec, 2012. TQ Nan for the contact, 55/59. He was on Buddistick too working from his apartment and I'm from my hotel room.

The Genting Valley - hanya mimpi ...

Back in 2002, we bought a plot of land somewhere in Batang Kali, called The Genting Valley. It wasn't that big but I believe good enough to build our retirement home. Made a loan for a plot of about 7000psf, and off we went flying to UK for 5 good years.

In 2007, we came back home from UK and our first visit to the project, only tears came out of our eyes. The project was abandoned, even though the plots had been cleared, but nothing much else. What left are the guard houses for phases that were all sold out. And we've been fighting to get our right with the help from the pro-team committee which represent all the buyers headed up by Bob Steedman. The latest news from the liquidator doesn't seem to be any favourable to us so, we gathered on the 9th Dec, 2012 at Phase 2A to air our displeasure to the parties involved including the liquidator, banks and the government agencies which wouldn't help much. As of now, what we could do is to dream of it. Hope the directors of Jade San going to be hunted by bad dreams, bad businesses and burned in hell!!!

Photos taken from today's gathering:

Tn Hj Mustafa, Ketua Cabang PKR Hulu Selangor was there too. Where is YB Kamalnathan? I had a good laugh when one MakCik said that she is better off voting for PAS in the next election rather than voting the BN for being indifferent not trying to help us out. Me? I'm pengundi atas pagar .. my undi is rahsia :P

MARL 2012 National Field Day 1-2 Dec, 2012

Participated in the MARL 2012 National Field Day which was held from 1-2 Dec, 2012. Went for the one at Tasik Taman Jaya, PJ. Forgotten to snap many photos during the first day, but here are those yg sempat kena snapped during the event using my smartphone. Update: Adding few more photos from Pang & Fahroe.

Enjoy the pics!

En Shahrul, expert panjat pokok ooo :)

Mana north yg betul nih?

Interview with RTM.

G5RV Jr + 40m & 80m mono dipoles.

2m antenna setup.

Pang with his homebrew portable QRP vertical antenna. Just spread the radials please.

Ceh, only trust made from junk ah? That little antenna analyser on Pang's hand can show the graph too ooo..

9W2RUT with his magnetic loop .. took him many hours before he satisfied with his work.

Taken from 9W2VXP post. Can you see that little 5W QRP radio? X1M that it. Heard 9W2EDU voice in one of the check net using this radio from Hulu Selangor. Hey, what is that blue thingy at the back? Battery pack?

9M2RZL - pemasangan magnetic loop.

9M2RZL's magnetic loop. Used 1W during one of the Field Day check net using FT-817ND with no tuner.

Ayoo, si CW man on the job again. Ada orang jadik peneman .. taken at around 3:45AM.

In the morning, 2nd day .. everything sudah kemas2 and ready for last check net before packing up everything. 9W2WF, 9M2YRS, 9W2RUT and 9W2FG dok busy cleaning up kat belakang.

Final photo before packing up.

Alamak ..hehe, banner tak sempat tempah, kita guna FleaMarket's KRAM le punye banner.. janji ada.. Those who were left just before we go back home, from the lower left: SWL (tak ingat nama), 9W2FG, 9W2RUT, 9M2AU, 9W2BBS .. upper from left 9W2WF, 9M2TPT, 9M2RS, 9W2NIK, 9M2YRS, 9M2PJU, 9W2ZLZ, 9M2RZL.

Ha, this one tak boleh ditinggalkan .. peneman setia dari day one until we left the place.

Overall, nice field day with quite number of participants not only those in Tasik Taman Jaya, PJ, but from all over the country. From Perlis up north, to Johor .. down south and Sarawak too.