Time, Time, Time

Well

I've been busy, busy, busy with work - spent two weeks trundling around Qatar and the United Arab Emirates and then a full week in Sri Lanka. Got off the Aeroplane in Manchester and headed straight for the National Hamfest where I spent two days in my official capacity as "RSGB Guy".

Finally I am home.

This weekend was the CQ WW RTTY Contest; which means it is a year since I got my linear:

http://g0mgx.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/how-much-power.html

Last year I spent quite a bit of time playing in the contest, this year sadly only a few hours. Here, however, is my log converted to map format:

So despite the lack of time, there are a few good contacts in there.

Before I went away I ordered a step attenuator kit from QRP Kits:

http://www.qrpkits.com/

I have to say that the stuff I have ordered from them in the past has been first class; this is no exception. The metalwork for this project is particularly excellent quality:

So that's built and will be a very handy addition to the shack.

You may also recall my musings with Return Loss Bridges back here:

http://g0mgx.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/return-loss-bridge-where-does-it-lead.html

And you may also recall that I sometimes bounce ideas off Kerry, VK2TIL (who is perhaps the worlds greatest homebrewer). So some correspondence with Kerry has resulted in some ideas to improve directivity by using a different type of balun and construction method. I am aiming to replicate something like this:

So at the HamFest I found some suitable binocular cores and have made this:

So, I now need to couple this up to some BNC connectors and take some measurements.

I have a full week off before returning to A71 land; my plan is for real time, fun time and perhaps sausage time.

Fun, egh?