Hello,
After sending in my U.S. license, a bunch of paperwork and 46 Euros... You'd think people pay enough taxes in this country to pay for a simple paper, but no, in fact, you pay for everything on top of taxes! But enough ranting...
I don't have a radio yet, not even a soldering iron. I need an end-fed tuner, QRP Watt meter, soldering station and multi-meter, the minimum to get by. I am not sure which radio I will get first, probably the Weber MTR 3-bander. I'd love another K1. It's hard to start again from scratch, especially on the wallet.
It turns out that there are few Hams left in France. There are virtually no information anywhere on how to go for the exam, no book that I know of, nothing. I thought American Ham web sites were bad, boy did I get a surprise here! The exam is also probably very technical and hard to get. There are very few repeaters and they are limited to 15W. If this country collapsed, communications would simply disappear. Population density is such that the death toll in any king of national emergency would be staggering. Few people are armed, though the bad guys certainly are, with AKs smuggled in from the Eastern block. Europe is a powder keg in a welding shop...
My call sign is valid until April of 2017. I have no idea what I am supposed to do to renew it if I stay here longer than that. I probably would have to pass the French exam, which might take a year to prepare for anyway... If I find out how and where to do it... I'll let you guys know when I'll be ready for QSOs!
Gil.
Awesome, congratulations. No doubt it's frustrating not having the plethora of QRP kits, parts, information, and infrastructure that you enjoyed state side but I have no doubt you'll overcome those obstacles. I'll be patiently waiting to hear you on the air. 73 de KK0G
Yeah, good news about the license.
That's a shame there are so few hams in France. Now I understand why, with my location on the east coast I don't hear many French stations. I don't see many on the spotter sites either. Maybe they are all pretending to be Virginia Hall and secretly operating from their attics with a hand crank generator.
(http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o170/cockpitbob/IMG_20140821_184530364_HDR_zps46edafc8.jpg)
Thanks guys. I did make a few contacts in France from Florida, so it should be no problem the other way around.. Like I said, there are few hams in France and fewer using CW. It probably will be a couple months before I am set up. No problem ordering kits from the U.S. but for the 20% VAT and extra shipping cost. I need to join a club around here just to understand the complex bureaucracy involved..
Gil.
Sent from my A1-830 using Tapatalk
Excellent! Perhaps a club station might be around. When I lived in Virginia, I used to copy a French military station used for Morse practice. Here is a link.
https://web.archive.org/web/20130813221356/http://www.astrosol.ch/53790397a40a2bb01/53790397a40a33d07/index.html (https://web.archive.org/web/20130813221356/http://www.astrosol.ch/53790397a40a2bb01/53790397a40a33d07/index.html)
I would imagine that any CW transceiver would be a great morale booster! Bon chance on your search. In the meantime, perhaps a loaner from an area ham or E-Bay in the EU?
73 de Ray
Thanks Ray, I'll get something soon!
Gil
I'll sell ya both my m0nka mcHF kits. One working fully, second rf board 99% populated, second ui board only has CPU. Just needs a case, or two if u decide to finish the second one.
Thanks, I don't think I want to get into something that experimental at this time though..
Gil
Well, I just placed my order with LNR Precision for a MTR3B, $290 shipped and I think they'll hit me with 20% VAT upon delivery... That hurts.
I also ordered a Hakko soldering station. Still missing is an end-fed tuner, QRP Watt meter, dummy load, multimeter, a Morse key and all the cables, wire, batteries, etc. Restarting from scratch is no fun.
I can't wait to get back on the air! My Morse is pretty rusty though...
Gil
Glad to hear you're getting it Gil. Are you going to keep the 40/30/20 bands or hack it to have 80/??/??. I've never been a ham during a solar minimum, but I hear 80 will be getting real popular in a couple years.
I just received my $15 mini-key kit from QRPguys.com. I just got back from a 2 week vacation and those damned chores didn't do themselves while I was gone, but I'll post pics and review when I have time to build it.
The QRPguys.com also have a $25 EFHY tuner that has a Taylo bridge built-in. Only problem is no enclosure. Personally, I think I would go for a LNR EFHY antenna since there's no knob to turn when changing bands. But, there's also no SWR indicator so it's got its minus side.
Hello Bob.
I think I will leave the MTR as is. I would have bought the 5b if it had 80m as sold. I don't understand why it wasn't offered first. I do want 80m though and probably will build a single band kit. Here the FT-817nd might just be my ticket also. Too bad the K1 no longer has a four band module.
Thanks for the QRPguys link. I think I'll go with the Illertenna tuner, for the box. Still unsure about the antenna, see my post on the antennas board..
Gil
I am so glad that you're getting back on the air!
For an ATU, I REALLY like my SOTAbeams Mountain Tuner:
http://www.sotabeams.co.uk/mountain-endfed-halfwave-tuner-40-17m-kit-or-built/
No swr indicator, but the peak is very noticable.
// Just back from a week up in the Pacific Northwest - gorgeous. Now I need a rest from my vacation. //
>Ray
QuoteFor an ATU, I REALLY like my SOTAbeams Mountain Tuner:
Yep, I used to have their 80m version, but lost it with the boat... I will get another one, on top of the Ilertenna, that way I'll be set from 20 to 80m.
As far as a key, I might splurge and get a Begali, one of their cheaper models.
What has been frustrating is getting back all the knick-knacks like patch cables, wires, connectors, etc... I look for stuff on Ebay. Fortunately all the cheap stuff from China is available in France. Unfortunately, search results are very much fewer here because of my French IP. Same goes for Netflix actually, I get but a tenth of what I could watch before. It might be time to set-up a proxy server... The big items I need to replace are a multimeter, Watt meter and some sort of antenna analyzer or dipper. If I can save enough I might even get an oscilloscope.
I have other things to buy back, like clothes, a few guns and knives and camping gear, what I consider life's basics, LOL. Better get those quick in case I meet anyone here...! Though I find myself quite content being single right now. Radio is high on my list, and It will indeed keep me in good spirits. I hope to hear you guys on the air, especially you Ray ;-)
Gil.
Guns....in France? Can the subjects actually own guns there? I thought most of Europe was like England in that regard.
Well, yes, but you must be in a shooting club, and they keep attendance. First gun takes nine months to get. The next ones, three months. You can own up to 12. Repeating rifles you can buy just by being member of the shooting federation (which of course costs $100). Semi autos and handguns require authorization. You must be a member to buy reloading components, primers and powder. Black powder cap & ball revolvers and muzzleloaders you can buy like you'd buy a baguette at the store. Some guns made before 1900 are also unregulated, including the Colt Single Action Army, but good luck finding one here and you'd have to sell your Peugeot to buy one ;-) There are some interesting pre-1900 cartridge rifles floating around, but many use obsolete calibers (no brass available).
I want to get myself an Uberti replica of the Winchester 1873 in .32-20 or .45 Colt, the latest not being original. Then I'll get a Colt SAA clone from the same manufacturer, I need to wait for that one. I can however buy s copy of the Remington 1858, which I have on order. You guys in the US get first dibs from Uberti though, France gets the left overs, so it might take a while.
I chose a lever action rifle because I fear European regulations will tighten and semi autos might get banned. A good lever action rifle though is very fast (just watch cowboy action shooting on Youtube) and holds ten rounds. You can top off the mag tube too.. It's the assault rifle of the Old West! I just like them for the history and looks.
Gil
Well, I ordered a Kent key (paddles). Begali was too expensive and I can't justify one until I reach 25wpm... Anyone used a Kent before?
Gil
Quote from: gil on May 09, 2016, 04:16:56 PM
Well, I ordered a Kent key (paddles). Begali was too expensive and I can't justify one until I reach 25wpm... Anyone used a Kent before?
Gil
(http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o170/cockpitbob/Emoticons/WatchWait.gif)
Interested.
I've decided I don't like my BY-1 because the thin, springy arms make it too spongy for me. That Kent looks like a nice, solid and stiff key for a nice price. Did you get the kit or pre-assembled?
Pre-assembled.. The price difference wasn't enough to bother. I will post a review, maybe even a video.. It will probably take a month for me to get all the stuff I ordered from different sources.. I had to order RG174 cables from the US. The Kent comes from England, The tuner from Spain I Think, wire from England as well. The 20% VAT is killing me, thieves!
Gil
Almost back in business.
I received my MTR from LNR Precision and assembled it quickly. Now I am waiting for my Ilertenna end-fed tuner, some wire from SotaBeams and my key from Robert Kent who might have left for Dayton without dropping it in the mail..
Gil.
Gil -
I have done a total alignment on your former MTR (2 band) and am STILL amazed at what a superb receiver it is! I'd love an MTR5b with 80 meters. For me, 'Wilderness Radio' begins with NVIS; DX is fun , but not essential.
73/72 de RadioRay ..._ ._
They are amazing radios. We should try a transcontinental MTR-to-MTR contact when my antenna is up.. Just waiting for a core to make a balun. The MTR should do well on a 133ft Windom!
Gil
Quote from: gil on May 20, 2016, 02:50:53 PM
They are amazing radios. We should try a transcontinental MTR-to-MTR contact when my antenna is up.. Just waiting for a core to make a balun. The MTR should do well on a 133ft Windom!
Gil
Count me and my 40/30/20 MTR in :D . I may have to go portable though. Background noise in my house is always S8 to S9+ :-\
I'll be coming in at +20...
Gil
Although I am VERY pleased to be living back in The West, I do miss the radio aspect of our house in Virginia, wires in the tops of 110 foot trees, on a peninsula facing the North Atlantic. The odds of our making transatlantic QRP QSO were quite high. From here, I rarely hear any European stations. The benefit of being at the junction of open desert and The Rocky Mountains win though. It's gorgeous and much more free, being further from D.C.
Oh - have you learned to send the French diacritical markings on letters for your French language via Morse?
de RadioRay ..._ ._
Well, we'll see... I have no idea if there are special Morse accentuated letters! I certainly won't bother with them if they exist.. I even avoid using French on my laptop since my keyboard is a US one.. The only thing I didn't lose with my boat.. I have a long list of stuff to buy back, lots of QRP radio gear...
Gil
Quote from: gil on May 22, 2016, 04:19:31 AM
I have no idea if there are special Morse accentuated letters!
There certainly are, they are listed here and numerous other places:
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morse_%28alphabet%29#Extension_aux_caract.C3.A8res_internationaux_ou_digrammes_.5Br.C3.A9f..C2.A0souhait.C3.A9e.5D (https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morse_%28alphabet%29#Extension_aux_caract.C3.A8res_internationaux_ou_digrammes_.5Br.C3.A9f..C2.A0souhait.C3.A9e.5D)
Darn, thanks, well, I did all right before without them and will still do so henceforth... Something to revisit this winter maybe on cold night with bad propagation...
Gil
Finally back on the air!
I got three contacts on 40m today, one in Serbia and two in England, two Nigels, must be a popular first name over there.. England is NVIS. I strung up my PAR end-fed on the big pine tree in the backyard. The MTR was fed with 10.4V, so not much power. The frequency display is off 100Hz on 40m and 200Hz on 20. I don't have a frequency counter or another rig to fix it right now. I also plan on adjusting the band pass filters when I can get an audio cable for my computer.
The Windom isn't up yet, but I got the cores for the balun. I just want to find colored wires so I don't mess-up the winding. Not that it's complicated, but with my luck I'd have to redo it..
Lots of QRM on 20m here, so it's 40m for now... Not sure what the best times would be for USA/France contacts..
Gil.