K3 Elecraft – 160 – 2 m* - 100-W High Performance All-Mode Transceiver

Elecraft’s state-of-the-art K3 transceiver offers a unique combination of ultra-high performance and affordability.

Both 100-watt and 10-watt (upgradeable) models are available. starting at just $1949 for the K3/100 (no-soldering kit; also available fully assembled and tested), the K3 is comparable in both features and performance to transceivers listing at up to six times its price.

In a first for the industry, the K3’s identical main receiver and subreceiver each feature a high-dynamic-range, down-conversion analog architecture. This allows Elecraft to provide roofing filters with bandwidths as narrow as 200 Hz, while up-conversion designs have roofing filters typically 3,000 to 15,000 Hz in width. Unlike some competing down-conversion designs, the K3 also provides 6-meter coverage, as well as continuous tuning from 0.5 to 30 MHz. Each receiver has its own bus-switching mixer, narrow ham-band front-end filters, 32-bit I.F. DSP, low-noise synthesizer, and up to five crystal roofing filters.

Both fixed- and variable-bandwidth crystal filters are available.The variable filters are available in both data/CW and voice-mode bandwidths, and allow close tracking between crystal and DSP filtering — a feature not available on any other rig at any price.

The K3 is the only deluxe transceiver that is targeted at both home and field use. Weighing just 8 pounds and having dimensions of 4” x 10” x 10” HWD (10 x 25 x 25 cm), it’s well-suited to demanding DXpedition or Field Day operations. Its receive-mode current drain of less than 1 amp greatly facilitates battery or solar-powered mobile/RV/marine installations. But unlike smaller portable transceivers, the K3’s user interface is optimized for ease of use, and its feature set rivals units many times its size and weight.

CQRLog - Linux logging program

Windows and Mac have plenty of ham radio applications to be used under their operating systems, but what about Linux users? The following is an interview with Petr, OK2CQR, the developer of CQRLog, the logging program for Linux users.

Tell us something about yourself and how you came to know the ham radio community.

I’m 30 years old, live in Neratovice, Czech republic with lovely wife and three children. My father was a SWL so I’ve heard about ham radio since my childhood. My own ham radio career started when I was 11 and got SWL number and begin to listen on HF with our surplus navy tube receiver. It was very exciting. When I was 16, I passed exams and got call sign OK2CQR. I love CW so you can find me mostly on CW part of bands.

When did you first approach Open Source and Linux?

I learned about Linux in 1997 when I was at high school. But it was not so interesting for me. About 4 years later, I found RedHat 7.0 in book store and bought it. It was my the first used Linux system but in dual-boot only. Later had RedHat 7.3, Mandrake, Slackware, ArchLinux and finally in 2007 discovered Ubuntu. It became primary system on my laptop very quickly. The first Linux distribution where everything was working out of the box.

Which projects are you currently involved with?

I’m one of developers of Linux logging program called CQRLOG ( www.cqrlog.com ) , owner of free online ham radio callbook called HamQTH ( www.hamqth.com ), maintainer of our local HF contest called KVPA, etc. I have many activities but mostly around the radio.

Tell us something about CQR Log, how did it come to be?

I started to work on CQRLOG in 2001. It was only for Windows and in Czech language. Program was very popular in our country. In 2007 I moved to Linux, abandoned Windows version and started to work on Linux version because didn’t find any suitable logging program for me. My friend Martin, OK1RR joined me and we are developing CQRLOG together. Our program has many users world wide and I think, it is the best logging program in Linux world.

What do you think about the relationship between Linux, Open Source and ham radio?

I think Linux is very close to ham radio. We are not ordinary people who just turn something on and don’t care how it works. If we can build our own equipment, we can build our own operating system as well. Linux distributions are open, so we don’t need any permission to explore it into depth, we can modify it to meet our needs. We can share information about what we do and help each other. (Do you know that one of the core Linux developers is ham radio operator? Yes, it is Alan Cox, GW4PTS)

Do you think that under Linux some ham radio applications are lacking? Will you be starting any new projects soon?

We have good logging programs, excellent program for digi modes (fldigi), software for satellite tracking etc (all the mentioned programs can be found at: http://radio.linux.org.au/ ). What we need now, is good contest software. We have tlf, xfktest but we need something like N1MM for Windows. Easy to use, good looking and powerful contest logging software. I don’t spend so much time in contests so I use tlf but I have to compile it from source code. It is not so comfortable. I was thinking about contest software similar to CQRLOG, even started to work on it but didn’t finish it. It is a lot of work and I’m very busy with my current activities. Maybe later.

Nueva UB-40 MX de UltraBeam

There is no other Yagi design capable of reducing the dimensions of the UB-40 MX any further without inevitable losses in terms of forward gain and F/B ratio.

The UB-40 MX has been especially dedicated to those Hams who have always dreamed of a dynamic antenna operating with at least two elements on the 40 meter-band, but with reduced dimensions than those of the bigger full-size “sisters” which, space restrictions, very often do not permit to install.

http://www.ultrabeam.it/english.html

Excelente apertura en 50 Mhz 27 enero 2012

Anoche tuvimos una excelente apertura para USA.

Desde estos lados no son tan habituales.

Me sorprendió que la misma duro mas de 3 horas y las señales fueron muy buenas.

Aquí les dejo una imagen de los contactos realizados anoche, con USA fueron

mas de 50 estaciones trabajadas.

Mantenimiento en la antena de 6 mts y WARC

Este fin de semana aprovechando que el lunes no trabajaba estuvimos haciendo algunos mantenimientos en las antenas.



Comenzamos con la de 6 mts, desde que se instalo siempre estuvo resonando por debajo de los 50.000 Mhz mas allá  que en 50110 tuviera 1.2 de ROE, la bajamos y realizamos
el ajustes ahora quedo mas cerca de los 50110.

Luego subimos la tribanda para las bandas WARC 30, 17 y 12 mts

asi que ya estamos nuevamente operativo en esas bandas.

ACOM - Nueva pagina - nuevos productos..

Nueva pagina - nuevos productos..

ACOM acaba de re modelar su sitio web y ya se pueden

ver sus nuevos productos.

Aquí les dejo fotos del nuevo lineal de estado solido ACOM 800S

Mas info en http://www.acom-bg.com/

Sumamos un nuevo País en los 50 Mhz - E51EME

Hace días que vengo siguiendo a Bob E51EME desde Cook del Sur.

Estas ultimas semanas se vienen dando muy buenas aperturas
para el lado oeste, muchas estaciones del Sur Argentino
y estaciones de Chile.

Esto me indicaba que podría tener alguna TEP hacia el Pacifico..

Hoy con mucha sorpresa se dió y pude escuchar a Bob E51EME,
aprovechando la excelente apertura pudimos coordinar y pasar
a 50192 para hacer el contacto en JT65A, luego comunique nuevamente
en CW y SSB.

Les dejo aquí la imagen del QSO en JT65A y el vídeo de los
contactos en CW y SSB.

QSL de AY8A

Ahora entiendo como Diego LU8ADX gana los contest..

con este equipo no puede perder... 

Elecraft KPA-500 video

Aquí les dejo un vídeo del review general del amplificador Elecraft KPA500,

Una reseña mas completa la podrán ver en la revista QST de febrero de 2012.

QSL 9L0W - 50 Mhz CW - SSB

Un nuevo país en los 50 Mhz

aquí les dejo la QSL de 9L0W desde Sierra Leone

Desarrollo de la Antennadinamica.com

Fabrizio, IZ0AEG esta por lanzar sus nuevos modelos de Antenna Dinámica, aquí les dejo los un par de fotos de los motores y engranajes de sus antenas.

De este modo en el mercado tendremos dentro de unos meses 3 marcas de este tipo de antenas: Steppir, Ultra Beam y Antenna Dinamica.

Mas info en http://www.antennadinamica.com/