W1AW

Started by John Galt, March 14, 2014, 09:32:47 AM

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RichardSinFWTX

Figures!  I'm gonna catch them this weekend.


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John Galt

#46
In the last half hour I've contacted W1AW/4, W1AW/5, Slovenia and Cuba.  Pretty soon I might not qualify for the New To Radio forum.  Pretty cool.

:)


EDIT:   and Brazil.

RichardSinFWTX

Good job, man!


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RichardSinFWTX

I worked W1AW/4 (Tennessee) at 2:37 this afternoon and 20 minutes later caught W1AW/5 (New Mexico).  Both on 20m.

I'm gonna try to work 'em both again tomorrow just in case either of the first two times don't QSL.

John Galt

I haven't got a QSL yet.

You on the radio?  We're trying to hook some people.

RichardSinFWTX

Nah, it's raining here.  I have to set up in my back yard so I won't be on for a while.

John Galt

I'm actually getting kinda good at this W1AW thing.  About 300 points now and I haven't missed a state although I'm nowhere near getting all bands.  160 and 80 are strictly NVIS for me with my antenna 8 feet off the ground between my house and garage.  I've gotten some states on 40 and one on 10 but most are 20, 17, 15 and 12.   6 is so dead I'm not sure my radio really even works on that band.   I'm really learning a lot about my radio and the limitations of individual bands.

One question though.  I'm able to run splits pretty well but I don't understand when they say they're "listening up 5 to 10".  I can usually get them using up 5 but how do they listen to a 5Khz range?  Do some radios have some kind of capability I'm not familiar with?


RichardSinFWTX

Yeah, most radios like my FT-857D will do it.  I haven't messed with manually setting mine up for working split.  I need to though.

My only gripe is that it seems to take some of them a long time to upload their logs to LOTW.  I'm still waiting on NH to upload from two weeks ago.


John Galt

No kidding!  I've been waiting on Puerto Rico for about a month.

I don't have any issues setting up the FT-450 for split, it's actually real easy especially when they listen up 5.  I'm confused though by the "up 5 to 10".  On my receive freq if I hear something 2 or 3 kHz away it's just QRM.  So how are they listening to a whole range of 5kHz?

KK0G


Quote from: John Galt on May 07, 2014, 11:44:56 AM
One question though.  I'm able to run splits pretty well but I don't understand when they say they're "listening up 5 to 10".  I can usually get them using up 5 but how do they listen to a 5Khz range?  Do some radios have some kind of capability I'm not familiar with?
They're not listening to a 5 kHz range, they're tuning within a 5 kHz range.


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"Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety" - Benjamin Franklin

KK0G

RichardSinFWTX

I think it's more to keep their bandwidth as narrow as possible.  They start with 5 KHz and if that causes too much QRM then they may bump it to 10.  It depends on how crowded the band is.

Yeah, I missed PR.  It looks like NE is the only one on the air this coming week.  That might make for a pretty heavy pile-up.

John Galt

Quote from: KK0G on May 07, 2014, 11:57:22 AM

Quote from: John Galt on May 07, 2014, 11:44:56 AM
One question though.  I'm able to run splits pretty well but I don't understand when they say they're "listening up 5 to 10".  I can usually get them using up 5 but how do they listen to a 5Khz range?  Do some radios have some kind of capability I'm not familiar with?
They're not listening to a 5 kHz range, they're tuning within a 5 kHz range.

It pains me to say this but....  I don't get it.   ???

RichardSinFWTX

Quote from: KK0G on May 07, 2014, 11:57:22 AM

They're not listening to a 5 kHz range, they're tuning within a 5 kHz range.


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Similar to a repeater.  They are listening on say, 14.260; but transmitting on 14.255.

John Galt

#58
Well, not exactly...

Fer instance:  they might be on 21.330 listening up 5.  No problem, I transmit on 21.335 /listen on 21.330.

Next time they might be on 18.130 listening up 5 to 10.  And if you tune over to the area of 18.135 to 18.140, you can hear all the stations coming in on various frequencies.  They're not just on 18.135 or 18.140, you can respond on 18.137 and they'll pick you up.

BTW, I found W1AW CT on 10 meter last night.  First call into the pile up, he responds with my full call perfect the first time.  Oh yeah, that felt good.   8)

RichardSinFWTX

Yeah, I'm not trying to get them all on every band and every mode.  I just want to get them all confirmed once!  I usually try to get each station on two different bands.  I'm still just doing SSB.  I've tinkered a little bit with my iPad and PSK-31; but nothing serious yet or with FL-Digi on my laptop.