Sunday 2 February 2014

6 Metre Net - January 27th, 2014

Last Monday's net had record participation, with Brad VE3HII, Brian VE3IBW, Bruce VE3BV, Bob VE3WY, Charlie VE3SYK, Matt VA3MGN, Mike VE3FGU, and Chris VE3NRT. Once again it was clear than antenna height and directivity are a distinct advantage. Net control VE3NRT was able to easily copy all participants except VA3MGN, who was about 3x3 at both ends. Distance, cross-polarization and obstructions were factors working against solid copy. VE3NRT also had amplifier trouble so ran barefoot but is happy to report that the amplifier has spontaneously started working again and so should be operational for the net on February 3rd.

The net closed at 8:25 after all signal reports and check-ins were complete, but VE3WY and VE3BV continued on at 50.130 MHz to do further checking on Bruce's antenna, which was showing high SWR perhaps due to the effects of weather on the coax.

The longest path was 52km between Matt and Bob although Matt reported Bob's signal was audible but not readable. A slightly shorter path between Bob and Brad was 100% copy. Steve VE3SHA reported hearing Brad and few others but not well enough for a QSO, while Steve VA3SRV reported hearing Mike, Chris and somewhat curiously briefly copied Matt.



On Monday (February 3rd) night at 8pm we'll try once again on 50.175 USB, with VE3NRT and VE3IBW (and anyone else who wants to try) making a FreeDV contact immediately afterward.

Any suggestions for trying other modes are welcome. The purpose of the net is experimental so let's experiment!

73,
Chris VE3NRT

2 comments:

  1. Thanks for the great write-up on the net results. I am suffering from TVI and RFI on 6m.

    We have two sub-woofers in the house and in the past they have both erupted with a great deal of low frequency sound. The leads to one where about 15 feet. I do have a wound ferrite choke and beads on that cable. At 6m, though, the chokes are not enough. So, I swapped out that cable for a shorter one (about 7') and the RFI to the sub woofer(s) has stopped.

    The other surprise RFI was to my son's power conditioner he has for his gaming and stereo equipment. When I was transmitting, he could hear the SSB inflection (but not the words) and his power conditioner eventually shut down and everything attached to it. I suppose with all the diodes in that unit, he was easily able to receive and decode the SSB signal. I was transmitting at about 50w and the antenna is close to his setup. I will try less power for the next Net to see if I can reduce or eliminate the RFI.

    As to the TVI, well, I will need a good notch filter on my TV antenna leads to filter out the 6m signal. I had a similar problem when I was on VHF. Bob, VE3WY, sold me a 2m notch filter for my TV antennas and that worked very well. Hey, Bob, if you have a 6m notch filter, let me know. I might need to buy a little more filtering to help keep the family from pulling the hamshack power plug :-)

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  2. Good to see you in here Brian, and on the net. I have a USB headset now so should be all set for FreeDV. 14.236 is not active this weekend because of all the contest activity, so I haven't done any testing other than the get it connected.

    73,
    Chris

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