TRIATHLON DX CONTEST

It all started in August of 2011. That was about when it occurred to Mike, SV5BYR that a big Greek Contest was missing from international Ham Radio Contest Calendar. By the end of September this idea became mature and so the "Triathlon" was born! A triathlon is a multi-sport event involving the completion of three continuous and sequential endurance events. And as you have already guessed, it is a Greek word. We had to change a bit the name to Triathlon Dx Contest to match our activity. Actually, trying here to simulate the original Triathlon athletic event, we involved three major ham radio modes, SSB, CW, RTTY. It will be a 24 hour non-stop event divided in three sections, each one devoted to a different mode. There are some tentative rules of the contest that you can take a look. It will take place every Saturday, the 1st full weekend of February, debuting on 02-02-2013.In this point we have to mention all the Greek amateurs who are working to make this event alive: SV1DPI, SV1NK, SV2AGW, SV2DCD, SV5BYR, SV7JAR, SV8CS, SV8RX, SV9GPV, SV9DJO…

There is still a lot of work to be done and more details to be announced. Stay tuned! Of course there too many contests already but they are not all the same!

Till the show begins keep your eye on:

http://triathlon-dx-contest.blogspot.com/

IQ2MI Beacon QRSS 501.36 Khz

The IQ2MI qrss beacon as received here on my QTH (Zakynthos island KM07JS)  date 22/11/2011, with Yaesu FT2000 and 200m long beverage antenna. The IQ2MI beacon is a QRP transmitter with about 0.4 Watt output. The estimated ERP power is at about 0.025 Watt.Beacon send CW ID in QRSS mode flowed by fast CW.The IQ2MI locator is JN45NL and the antenna is a toploaded capacitive 60 meters long with 3 spaced wires and a vertical section of 16 meters.Used the spectrum lab program by DL4YHF http://www.qsl.net/dl4yhf/spectra1.html

IQ2MI beacon antenna.

IQ2MI beacon location at JN45NL, near Milano (Sezione ARI Milano).
http://lnx.arimi.it/?page_id=788
73, de Spiros SV8CS (22/11/2011).

70.200 Mhz TEP qso (SSB & Digital) with ZS6WAB

FOTO: My second QTH powered with GREEN energy (Solar panels and Wind Generator).
Antenna for 4m band: LFA 6 elements. RIG: TS480 with transverter  ME4-T by HA1YA.
http://ha1ya.config.hu/transverters.htm
21 September 2011, at 18:15z, I had a very nice TEP qso with ZS6WAB in SSB (signal 52 clear) on 70.200 Mhz and digital using ISCAT mode, (look WSJT program by K1JT).
http://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/K1JT/
The decoded lines in ISCAT mode are here:
182330   -13   -43   SV8CS   ZS6WAB   R-15   R-15
182330   -17   -43   73 ZS6WAB
I hope to see you on 70 Mhz (4m band soon).
73 Spiros - SV8CS

6M Marathon contest 2011

I like to thanks all 6m Marathoners making qso's with them and help me to touch the first place world wide in the 8th 6m Marathon 2011.Many thanks also to the Finland very nice organization of this 6m Marathon contest.More info you can see at : http://6m.dy.fi

The 6m 2011 Marathon was started at 7 May and ended 7 August 2011. Thank you and I hope to see all of you next year in the 9th 6m Marathon. 73 de Spiros SV8CS.

6m EME qso with W7GJ, with 12v bateries

5 July 2011 at 20:03 I had an EME qso with Lance W7GJ.This was not my first but I made this QSO from my remote 2nd QTH with my Ecological- Green powered station.

I am using a Kenwood TS-480 (without external preamplifier), Linear amplifier TE-Systems at 150W in (JT65a mode), and 7 elements LFA-2 WOS antenna, without elevation.

This set-up is powered by solar and wind enegy (ECO station), using 4 bateries 12v- 200A/h each (totaly 800A/h).That was my 1st 6m EME with Green power station and 12v bateries.

TNX to Lance and 73 to all de Spiros, SV8CS

QSO details:

194800 4 -19 1.9 57 1 # SV8CS W7GJ DN27 OOO 1 0

195000 0 -29 1.8 54 39

195200 6 -23 1.9 78 1 # SV8CS W7GJ DN27 OOO 1 10

195359 1 -31 64 0 RRR

195559 0 -29 1.6 48 25

195759 2 -30 41 2 73

WINMOR - Free e-mails via HF

Are you in emergency status or out of internet lines?
Are you in rare DXpedition or sailing?
Now with the help of WINLINK 2000, Global Radio Email system, you can send your e-mails to all your friends via HF transceiver for free.
You can send it via HF transceiver as like PACTOR but you don't need an expensive TNC to do that, because the program has a Virtual TNC (non software), using the audio card of your PC.

Download the WL2K program and following the instructions.You need a CAT control to set the QRG's between the PC and the radio.The program then, can give you a list of gateways (calling RMS),close to your QTH with all QRG'g etc.You can also download the VOACAP (free) to see in real time the propagation from your QTH to all WINMOR servers.

From my QTH,(Zakynthos island - KM07JS) I can easily connected to DA5UHR-5 in 40m and to

OE5XIR-5 on 80m and send (for free) e-mails and receive e-mails in my PC normaly.To send and receive e-mail is as easy as Outlock express.You need a very carefull adjustment to audio (audio PC card, in and out) because any kind of distortion can destroy the signal.
The author of Winmor is Rick Muething KN6KB.

Links:

http://www.winlink.org/

http://www.mediasuk.org/iw0hk/winmor.htm (In Italian).

http://www.webalice.it/brugneraivo/i6ibe/winmor/winmor.htm (in Italian).

73, Spiros

SV8CS

Mr. ROS exclusive interview to DxCoffe

Exclusive interview of the inventor of Digital mode called ROS to DxCoffe web site by IZ1IVA.

Mr. ROS explain everything about his ROS mode with many details.

DxCoffe is a wanterfoul web site about latest DX and Contest news.

You can read all the inetrview in http://www.dxcoffee.com/

As you can see in the main ROS web http://rosmodem.wordpress.com/ I have completed the first QSO in ROS mode via EME on 2m with DL8EBW.

Download latest version of ROS v5.6.4 beta and enjoy your QSO in this new mode.

You cal also import ROS.adi to HRD logbook or to MIX-W logbook.

More info and details to http://www.dxcoffee.com/

73 de SV8CS

3B9/IZ4AKS - Rodrigues Island August 2010

Antenna used by George,IZ4AKS on Rodrigues island.

My friend George IZ4AKS was for holydays style DXpedition to 3B8 and 3B9.
He was very active on bands and also very strong here in Greece.
If you like to see more photos from 3b9 here we are:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/iz4aks/sets/72157624903932612/

And the LOG for 3B8 and 3B9 QSO's is here:

http://www.iz4aks.com/3b8-3b9/logsearch/

Read more in dxCoffee:

http://www.dxcoffee.com/ita

73 de SV8CS

6m EME With 3 elements (RX only)

Today 10 Sept. 2010 we have very good EME conditions (Not like the last days) but still GOOD.
I am receiving Lance W7GJ with my remote (RX only system) with 3 elements beam home made (DK7ZB).The location has a very good take off,overlooking the sea and of course very good ground gain. I am using the Kenwood TS-480 without any antenna preamplifier, antenna 3 elememts,10m of ecoflex-10 coaxial cable and the WSJT-9 program in JT65A mode.

I hope to copy Lance as well from his upcoming 6m EME DXpedition from Fiji Islands (3D2LR , in RH92cq) .
http://www.bigskyspaces.com/w7gj/Fiji2010.htm

Any contribution to help Lance W7GJ, for this rare DXCC 6m DXpedition are welcome.

Please use Pay-pal to : w1jj@aol.com

73 de SV8CS

CQ - WAZ on 6m

Here is the CQ-WAZ award for my 6m activity received today.
WAZ number #94 - 30 zones.

http://www.cq-amateur-radio.com/wazrules.html

Now looking forward to 10 more zones.

Good DX in 6m de SV8CS.

KP4AO 432 MHZ EME and SW8NAC

SW8NAC, Anna in the father's shack (SV8CS) , after the QSO with KP4AO.

Anna, SW8NAC she is the youngest ham radio operator worked Arecibo via 432 Mhz EME in SSB mode. Anna has 4x25 elements on 432 for EME activity.

Here is the QSL card received from QSL manager W3HNK.
I made also an SSB qso with KP4AO (432 Mhz EME) but unfortunatelly ... the answer from QSL manager was...SV8CS, you are NOT in the log !!!

So, lets try next time.

73, de SV8CS

Contest University Italy by K3LR and IK2QEI - 2010

Contest University Italy 2010 ( K3RL).

SW8NAC Anna in front of D-Star repeater.

SV8CS during Low Bands Contesting presentation.

SW8NAC receiving plaque from IK2QEI.

Contest University Italy (Montichiari 2010).
Saturday 13 March 2010 me and my daughter Anna, SW8NAC we were in Brescia (Montichiari) close to Milano for the contest University meeting during the Montichiari hamvention. There was also Tim, K3LR from Contest University.
Also IK2QEI, IK2EAD did a great job for this meeting.

DJ6QT, SW8NAC, SV8CS, K3LR ( CTU Italy 2010).

During Contest University Italy 2010 meeting we had:

S50A, Tine explain how to read contest rules and CQWW news.

SV8CS, Spiros for Low Bands Antennas and reception in restricted QTH's.

K3LR, Tim about Contest Operating Techniques.

S52X, Tadej for RTTY contesting and interfaces.

IK4MGP & IK4VET for HQ Italia during IARU 2010.

IW2WIJ & IK2NCJ, about WRTC 2010.

W7EJ also CN2R, Jim for contesting around the world.

During the meeting my daughter Anna, SW8NAC (12 years old), received a plaque as young talent Ham Radio operator.

Into the conference hall the Italian D-Star group had instaled a full D-Star repeater and with this was very easy for me and SW8NAC to have a QSO with our friends (SW8NAG,SV8RX,SV8YM), from Italy to Zante Island.

http://www.arrl.org/contests/update/index.html?issue=2010-03-17

See you next year in CTU meeting.

73, Spiros SV8CS and Anna SW8NAC.

MARCH 20, 2010

First ever 2m EME qso with new ROS mode

February 21 at 21:25, me and DL8EBW we made the first 2m EME qso with the new ROS mode by Jose.

More on http://www.mmmonvhf.de/
Thank you Guido (DL8EBW) agn for the 1 st 2m EME,ROS QSO.

ROS program at :

http://rosmodem.wordpress.com

73, Spiros - SV8CS

First ever Moon reflection with ROS mode.

SCREEN SHOT send me by e-mail from PA4EME RX site.
Today 21 Feb 2010 at 21:36 z I made the first ever reflection of the MOON with this new ROS digital program.
My friend FRANK, PA4EME has RX my signal via moon reflection, as well my e-mail also, with 1 baud rate at the 144.149 Mhz . Unfortunately we have NOT complete a 2-way QSO, but we will try again tomorrow.
Many thanks to Jose for the ROS program and to Frank, PA4EME for his patience.
See you via the Moon.
73- Spiros

ROS - New mode and 1st QSO

This is my first QSO with F1ABE in ROS mode in 16 baud rate.
My power was 1w on 14101.
This evening I will try to test the ROS digital mode on 144 Mhz via moon (EME).
For more info about ROS at:
http://rosmodem.wordpress.com
The nice future of ROS program is that when you have your e-mail next to your CQ SV8CS then you can receive e-mails from all Rxing stations with varius data.
Allreary received reports via auto -e-mail from:

DG8JA,IW1AWH/2,PA2HBL,OH2GAX,IK1RKU,DL2FI,F1SMV,KB2HSH,G0CER,W3CSW,VK3JW,M0POQ,OH7JJT and many others.
See you soon on ROS mode via HF or EME.
Spiros - SV8CS