1000 Acres of Land Only For Ham Radio

Found a 1000 acres of land for sale near the Akan National Park. It’s surprisingly cheap and now I am interested in buying it.

It’s about 3 hours drive away from my current home and I think it will be an ideal place for a tiny ham shack.

Attracted by a YOUTUBE video that shows the receiving difference between BOG antenna and a Yagi on 40m, I am surely into studying beverage antenna these days.The video shows how the BOG antenna works. It’s picking up only the targeted weak DX signal clearly despite that the other Yagi is picking up loud signals near by.  Here’s another YOUTUBE video shows the difference of BOG and the other. It must be exciting to extend a wire for over 100 to 200 meters without any obstacles and pick up weak signals without any exogenous noise.

Of course, the 1000 acres of land allows me to build up an antenna farm and I surely want to do so before my old age approaches.

A prefab house will be enough for a man and it would be so nice spending some days there enjoying only ham radio.

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Buying a Single Band Delta Loop

Even with this tiny set up of radio and antenna, I could enjoy some nice chat with my old friends on 40m band. Their fancy antennas helped me to have the QSOs in unstable band conditions. Shin JA1NUT has a 3 element yagi and also Atsu JE1TRV has 2 element. Their RST were 599 to 599++. Speaking of QRP, if your friends’ RST are like this, it’s easy to have QSOs. However, if its 539 to 559 here, it will be tough to get their replies.

Recently, I have been thinking to purchase a Delta Loop antenna for 15m band.  It’s a single band antenna and light enough to mount on the mast where the current compact 3 band dipole ( for 20/15/10m ) sits on.  Some may ask why I will use the single band antenna instead of QRV on the other bands; 20m and 10m.

The reason is very simple. I don’t chase DXCC and this antenna will be fixed to aim just north direction that covers EU and the US.  Besides, I have wanted to have some sort of LOW NOISE antenna.  I was astonished to see some videos that show the comparison among vertical, dipole and delta loop. The noise of Delta Loop wad significantly lower than that of the rest. And as its characteristics,  Delta Loop has lower radiation angle than dipole antenna.

There is a 2 element Delta Loop at the web shop I purchase but unfortunately my mast of the roof wont bare with its weight.  For me, it’s comfortable to enjoy QSOs on a single high band. If the condition permits, I will be able to have some chats with the stations in the US and EU and if the condition is not good, I can give up sitting in front of the rigs without any painful reluctance.

 

Excited with QRP operation

Since do not have enough space to build up a tower or set up wires, I always think what kind of antenna will be ideal for my ham radio operation.

I purchased a Diamond KV2; 80/40m dual band vertical antenna and installed it to my tiny front yard. However, it didn’t work well on 40m because of high SWR and I gave it up after  lots of cut and try.

Reinstalled another vertical for 40 and 15m and then mounted a compact dipole antenna for 20/15/10m bands as on the photos attached.

Seeing these photos on my Facebook, JA1NUT shin asked me if I could mount the vertical antenna on the roof of the carport and use its steel body as grounding. However, the carport is my neighbor’s

Of course I know the height of the antenna is an essential but this is the best I could do at this moment..

I could have a QSO with FK8CE Dominique on 21Mhz with this system.

FT817/ 5W.  Approx. 7500km-leap. RST HIS 579 My 559.

Exciting!

 

 

 

Came Back to This Place

Having been away from CW world for over 4 years, I managed to have my Ham Radio License reissued on 19th February 2016.

Installed a simple 2 band vertical antenna at my front yard and started QRV with 5 watts.

My old FT817 and Elecraft K1 sounded nice CW tones and I have worked with my friend stations in JA and also a USA station near San Francisco on the first day. My weak signal reached to ZL1BYZ and 9N1ZAK, too.

I am going to update this blog again from time to time and want to be active on the air.

Looong Time No See

Haven’t updated this blog for a long time.

I became inactive with Ham Radio and spared time to write novels.

Fortunately, I could get some awards for my works but my radio licence was expired, which I have to renew within this year.

 

As a matter of fact, I’ve been in a hospital diagnosed as unstable angina pectoris since 22nd of May.

I have to think that it is something good for me to take care of my health and rest in a room with these old people who also suffering from heart disease.

Good chance to think what my life is and to be refreshed.

 

I will have a catheterization study this afternoon and probably will get out of this hospital on 31st.

As per the coronary computed-tomography angiography, three  blood vessels on my heart have coarctations and they need to be widened.

It must take  several weeks to get all the treatment is done.

 

Anyway, being away from hectic days, I am going to plan what I will do after this.

I’m looking forward to being on the air by autumn.

 

Cheers.

Leo JJ8KGZ

Writing

Been writing novels and essays for 5 years.

I don’t brag about it, I won a prize for some of my works at a local literary award.

I have just received a notification from its selection commitee.

One essay and a novel will be on the book in December.

 

 

 

Cushcraft R6000

Assembled Cushcraft R6K this weekend. It was in my shed for about two years and I could not have time to mount it on the mast.

Getting out of the bed, I went to my shack and turned on my radio, FT1000. There was a very good signal of W7SW, Scotty in a QSO with Shin, JA1NUT. I think it was the 1st time for me to hear USA on 21MHz in such early morning. I called him and Scotty gave me 449. His 559. My new R6K seems to work better than I expected. I’m sure current SSN & FSI will help me out a lot this autumn.

To Get More Active

Been away from this blog again.

Saying “hectic” must be a good excuse but I want to honestly say, “I have been hectic”.

From March to June is the busiest period of my work and I have been occupied not only with my work but also other things to do.  And I even didn’t have time to be on the air a lot.  Only FaceBook and weekly CW NET of FISTS East Asia were  methods to communicate with my friends who pound the brass in the main Island.

“Oh, Leo got inactive. He used to call CQs almost every night.”  This must be the way they think about me and I don’t deny it.

But I guess I will be have more time to spare enjoying CW after this summer.  Before that, I have to assemble my new antenna, Cushcraft R-6000, to QRV on the high bands.  I’m looking forward to hearing some signals from EU and USA this autumn.

 

 

Finland

Arriving in Helsinki, we moved to Rantasalmi located about 300 kms west of the capital city. A business negotiation went well and my 3 accompanies and I were invited to a SAUNA.  In the forest near the Arctic Circle, we got undressed and drank a glass of Vodka or two and ran to the small wooden shed where a very hot smoke sauna was installed.

“Run! Run! Run!” we shouted because the external temperature was below minus 20 C and I felt I was almost dying when I ran through the path with naked. But the sauna worked as a very good stage to boost our friendship with the business partner.

“You have to do the same thing as we are doing now if you want to get more discount on our machine”, Mikko, the president of the company said and he suddenly jumped into snow his head-first on. My accompanies were in pause but I dived into the white and freezing snow.  I was thrilled and got very excited to have this first experience.

After staying a night, we headed for Helsinki again and flew to Aarhus, Denmark.  I’m writing this in a hotel room on the way to Copenhagen. Here is a video when I was taken to Rantasalmi and the driver is Jens, an export manager of the manufacturer.

 

Singapore

I’m currently in Singapore.

Experiencing a drastic temperature change, it was quite difficult for me to adjust myself to this heat and humidity. One of my friends in my town in Hokkaido reported me on his text message that it was – 20 C.  Here,  its 27 to 30 C and I sweated a lot.  But this is the 3rd time I come to this tropical city so I knew my constitution well and  brought many extra shirts 🙂

After the business talk with the JCB Sales Asia and Pacific, they took my boss and me to the China Town.

It’s one of my most favorite places on this globe.

Luna New Year is just around the corner and there are tremendous people walking on the street.  I picked up 3 personal seals and got my kids names curved on them. Asking a shop clerk for discount was quite funny and adventurous.  I had very tasty steam bowl with my business friends and went to bed straight after that.  I’m overwhelmed by their hospitality every time I visit Singapore.

Being advised by my Ham Radio friend Atsu, JE1TRV, I have tried to reach John, 9V1VV but could not trace his email address.

My boss told me to be in charge of this business transaction from this summer and there will be more chances to come to this beautiful city, so I may have another chance to meet with him.

Gonna take a taxi to the airport to catch a flight back in 30 minutes.

Only 24 hours stay, but it was very nice.

I love Singapore.