[Lowfer] The downside of PC's and radio

Thu Aug 5 12:06:45 EDT 2010

Some comments below ...

On Thu, Aug 5, 2010 at 10:04 AM, Andy - KU4XR <ku4xr at yahoo.com> wrote:

> I remember comments from some of my Elmers ( anyone remember that
> term ?? ) when PC generated CW, and CW readers hit the market.
> They were aghast at the idea, feeling that it would be the demise
> of ham radio. You know how you felt personally when the FCC decided
> to lower the code requirements for entry into ham radio, only to
> eventually drop the requirement altogether. Another " aghast " for
> many an old timer who " HAD TO " pass the 20 wpm CW test to get the
> extra class license. Lots of things have changed over the years,
> for the better, or not is a personal opinion in most instances.
>

I was never "aghast" at these things but just had no interest in using them
myself.

CW has been my mode of choice since I was a Novice on the late 60's. I
prided myself in passing the Extra in 1971. But I have no hard feelings
against those who take the tests today. There are still people to work on CW
and as long as there are some of us left, I'm happy. And there ARE newcomers
who decide to learn Morse.

Also, I do play around with digi modes. They're a lot of fun.

> For sure however, is the fact that radio is no less technical today
> than it has ever been in the past. Maybe even more so today with all
> the new fang-dangled stuff on the market. Transmitter designs,
> receiver designs, Pre-Amps, Filters, all the goodies to make your
> radio " more funner " But the key element that was, still is, and
> always will be the critical element to sucess is:::: The Antenna !!
>

That's true, but how many people are actually doing it? It seems a very
small group is experimenting with Lowfer frequencies and an even smaller
group on the microwave frequencies. I have equipment for all bands through
10 GHz for weak-signal work (CW/SSB) and I'm working on 24 and 47 GHz. There
is no one within 100 miles for me to work above 432 MHz and only a small
handful of people on 24 and 47 GHz in the Midwest.

For that matter, how many people build their own frequency counters,
spectrum analyzers, power supplies, etc? Or even their own rig/computer
interface cables?

There are no lowfer operations very close to me, either, but at least the
range is greater on those frequencies. I've been hearing several of the
WD2XSH signals in the 500 kHz range.

73, Zack W9SZ

> I think most everyone has a grasp of that fact, but over the past
> couple of years, I have gone from having a " grasp " of that fact,
> to " Knowing !! " it's a fact. Any transmitter will emit a signal,
> and any receiver can be made to receive it. But not just any old
> antenna will make this possible, especially at MF, LF, and below.
> >From my personal experience; at first, I was relying on my PC, and
> all the wonderful software out there to do the job for me, and dig
> out those weak signals. It wasn't until I started trying to get a
> signal into the air on 1750 meters that I started to understand
> just how important the antenna is. To this day; and I started
> listening in 2007, I have yet to " Hear " a lowFER signal. And
> when I started trying to get a signal on the air, I kept asking the
> same question over and over; " Can you HEAR me ?? " I have never
> gotten an answer on that question yet. I have received many Screen
> Captures, and all of them Greatly appreciated. But I still have not
> received a single report from anyone that they actually " HEARD "
> audibly !! my carrier. To begin with, it didn't bother me too much.
> I was to busy enjoying the 400 to 700 mile distant screen captures.
> And I was thrilled that I was being received at those distances with
> only a few microwatts actually getting into the ether. However, the
> longer I have stayed with this little hobby, the more reading I have
> done. I started finding articles from the guys of yester-year who
> were being " HEARD " not just seen, and using CW too. The same
> distances of 400 to 700 miles that I am being seen, they were being
> heard !!! Average distances of 100 to 200 miles, all day, every day
> using Plain Old CW seemed to be a standard occurence " back then "
> I started looking at the antenna designs that some of the sucessful
> operators were using, and their setups. That is when I started to
> realize where I was really " dropping the ball " to say. My transmitter
> was fine, but my antenna setup Stunk !! To get those 700 mile captures,
> I was really relying on the guys who put lots of effort into their
> receiving setups. I suppose that it was in 2009 that I really started
> to become concerned with improving my antenna efficiency. I have read
> a lot, asked way to many questions, enough to become annoying possibly.
> Because I realized that " I " was becoming too dependant on my PC, and
> filtering software. I will never have the ultimate, or optimum antenna
> setup, but I am striving to improve it to the last micro-dB that I can
> get out of it. My Elmers used to tell me that " A good antenna, and
> low wattage, can many times outperform a bad antenna with high wattage."
> My hope is that someday soon, I will have a legal antenna that is
> efficient enough to actually be heard, as well as be seen. And I guess
> I need to emphasize that I am referring specifically to Part-15, and
> not Part-5 operation. There is a thrill in this low power, short antenna
> stuff.
>
> To any newcomers to the lowFER world; invest the time, and put forth
> the effort to erect the best possible antenna that you can, right from
> the start. You certainly won't be unhappy that you did.
>
> 73 to all, and enjoy the hobby :
>
> Andy - KU4XR - EM75xr - Friendsville, TN. USA
> LOWfer Beacon " XR " @ 185.29875 KHz ( QRSS-60 )
>
> *** Temporarily OFF, while constructing a new antenna ***
>
> Coordinates:  N:  35º 43' 54" - W:  84º 3' 16"
> http://www.myspace.com/beaconxr
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