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FISTS DOWN UNDER

Editor: Ian MacQuillan. #9683 ZL2AIM email: fists.fdu@xtra.co.nz VK Secretary / Administration : Garry Cottle #14151 VK2GAZ email: vk2fdu.auz@gmail.com Administration : Nigel Hardy #9040 ZL2TX email: fdu.fists@gmail.com Newsletter Distribution: Derek Dawkins #14125 VK3KX email: dfdawkins@optusnet.com.au

FDU Web site: www.fdu.org.au

Recommended FISTS calling frequencies (MHz):

1.808 3.528 7.028 10.118 14.058 18.085 21.058 24.908 28.058

Issue: May 2017

From the editor: ZL2AIM Ian #9683 Once again, I am pretty well out of articles for publishing in our monthly newsletter so once again I PLEAD with you to put pen to paper, fingers to keyboard, fingers on camera shutter knobs, etc and to send me anything of interest. My email address is printed above. My plea of a few weeks ago has got me enough for this issue, but I need to get the next issue prepared. Therefore please help! I prefer to get articles written in Word.

I have been asked on a few occasions if we would be prepared to put advertisements in the newsletter. I am more than happy to accommodate that, provided they are morse related. It can be buy or sell. If selling, please include a quality photograph and description of the article. Please send your advertisements to the editors email address above. There is no charge. I would like to take the opportunity to thank those members who have come to the aid of the party by sending me articles for this newsletter. I really appreciate that. A further request would be to send any articles in Word format as that makes my job so much easier.

Editors Prize I am pleased to announce the Editors Prize for 2016-2017 is awarded to Rob ZL1CV. Rob has written some articles for us during that time. His attention to detail and inclusion of photographs makes his articles easy to read and understand. FDU have posted off to him the ARRL publication “Guide to Antenna Tuners”, a certificate and a year’s membership subscription. Congratulations Rob. We look forward to many more articles from you. Rob has sent me a picture with his prize and I have included it near the end of this newsletter.

Newsletter of the Australian / New Zealand chapter of the International Morse Preservation Society

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New Members. We wish to welcome the following new members to our club and we hope you exchange your membership numbers over the air with other members. Gareth VK4FQ #15212, Col ZL2EA #15213, Raymond VK4WY #15214 and Bill VK1FWBK #15215.

Bill VK1FWBK. Bill tells us a bit about himself; Bill Kirkwood - Age 60.I joined the RAAF aged 18 in 1975 to train as an Air Electronics Officer. Most of that training was radio communication, with CW being a major component. Just my luck, the one subject in which I managed to excel was morse code.. Loved it! Then, just before I graduated it was removed from the AEO syllabus and was no longer a primary means of military communication... I did not use it again – until now.

I am now semi-retired and have decided to enter amateur radio – with the single goal of getting back into CW. Much like riding a bike – or so I thought. Wow – the difference between disciplined, regulated procedures practiced in the military is not quite what I have so far experienced in amateur radio. I am having to learn to ‘ read ‘plain language’ CW as it is sent. When I trained in the RAAF we used to send in coded groups – so everything was pre-written down prior to sending, and of course only decoded upon receipt. I always thought “IMI” was “ say again” and “INT” was “question” or interrogative…. Now IMI is the question… Please don’t interpret this as a criticism – I just had to ride a different bike under new road rules! I am not interested ( at this stage) in some of the computer based adaptations in the amateur radio world of today, or in VHF.. but then again – trying to sort out an 80m antenna for my small ¼ acre block without upsetting the neighbours is proving a challenge! I am in Canberra -Australia. It really is a lovely part of the world. I can hear many members from the USA and Canada calling CQ but when I reply it seems that being able to transmit in kilowatts trumps ( perhaps outweighs is a better word now) someone restricted to just 10 watts . So I am keen to see how some of these QRP sessions work out. On 10 watts on either my Horizon 2040 Trap dipole, or my SE-HF 360 vertical I am not getting much beyond a few hundred kilometres… I can only use the vertical for 80m work.. So I am looking at alternatives..I will upgrade to a ‘Standard’ licence as soon as I can so that I can at least use the 20m band and punch out a whopping 100watts! For those outside the VK arena, my callsign...The first 4 characters beyond my control.. but then I paid to use my initials.. What self-respecting CW enthusiast chooses a callsign ending in K…!! So a few confused QSO’s so far.. but – that is life! I am looking forward to joining in the FISTS Down Under activities. My Rig is a Yaesu FT-757GX ( Ebay purchase ), the antennas mentioned above, and a growing collection of keys – primary use is a Navy Flameproof key ( I have 5 of them!) also a J-38 and a British ‘Bathtub” flameproof key that was used in Lancaster and other Bomber Command aircraft… Thanks for accepting my membership!

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List of members whose subs become due in May and June May: ZL3IX, VK4ZW, VK1LK/VK2AA, VK2FNT, VK3BAA, VK2KJJ/OZ6YJ, ZL1BVB. June: VK4BOW, VK2FXCW, VK2CCW, VK2DLF, VK2ONZ/M0ONZ, VK3MI/ZL1AZE, VK3PC, VK4GSF, VK7CW, VK7TW, ZL1BRS, ZL1DAC, ZL1WAL, ZL1WI, ZL2CB, ZL3HAM.

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We ask that you keep an eye out for your callsign in the subs section and treat that as your reminder for you to pay your subs.

Our website http://www.fdu.org.au/join_renew.php has all the details for making payments. Don’t forget that when you are paying your subs to include your callsign. Please do not send cash in the post as this causes problems for us in banking. Fists would like to thank the following members for their generous donations included with their subscriptions; VK3OZ, VK6QW,

An article from Michael VK2CCW Fists #14198

CQD = Seek you distress. I was once upon a time researching the term and meaning of CQD. In the earliest days of marine communication this was pretty much the standard before S.O.S became common as the distress call. Not many realize that SOS does not have any meaning as it is a prosign. There is no spacing between the S the O and the S. If you ask most people what SOS stands for they will tell you, save our souls or save our ship, which is totally incorrect. I grew up thinking the same, until one day, I also did some research on this matter, its amazing what you can find looking around libraries and the internet. After reading the article I found on the net, it enlightened me about the misunderstanding I had about this subject. Since then, I have started researching many different subjects including, and not limited to just radio, but many other subjects including things like the Spitfire. One of my favourite past times used to be listening to CRS ( Coast Radio Stations) on MF/HF, especially weather broadcasts on 500KHZ in CW. These days if you asked most people about morse they will tell you that it is a dead mode of communication, not realizing that it is still in existence and very much alive today, even if only used by mostly Hams. Its a crying shame that in Europe there is lots of CW being broadcast and some countries still teach it at school, but here in VK/ZL its not all that popular. The only time you seem to get plenty on air here in VK is on Sunday 1000z on 7025, and that’s when the CW net is on once a week to allow friends and fellow CW ops to catch up with each other. Still these are modern times and the young generation not realizing that text messaging is the same a CW only in character form. Quite often I spend time in local parks doing portable work, and its amazing how many of the public will come up to you and ask what are you doing. When you explain to them what you are doing they seem to be very curious about it. Some even find it interesting how you can understand what another is sending and that you can decode it.

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For portable operations I use a Manpack radio setup using a FT857D a YT100 tuner, a SLAB battery in a radio rack mounted on a backpack frame. You don't have to be a SOTA station, just get out there and enjoy your CW its very therapeutic. Until next time happy CW .. 73 de Michael VK2CCW ..._._ .. (One of my CW mentors ,Tubby ZS5TUB, also had the callsign ZS5CQD. He was a great radio historian

and knew a lot about the Titanic and its sinking. He told me that in fact the Titanic would not have

sent out SOS alone, but would have also sent out the distress signal CQD. Thanks Michael for another

interesting article.- Ed)

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And now an article from Gilbert ZL3GIL FISTS#14102

6m CW transceiver with Si5351a VFO In 2014 I assembled a Bodan 6m cw transceiver that I had bought online from QRP-Projekt in Germany. The Bodan is a crystal-controlled rig that uses a 25.065 MHz crystal in a Colpitts VFO. This frequency is then fed into a doubler to create a 50.130 MHz signal that is then fed into the driver and PA to produce a 1W level at the antenna output fed into an SA612 mixer to enable direct conversion reception of incoming signals The Bodan also incorporates sidetone generation and an RIT scheme. With a bit of crystal pulling the designers claim a coverage of some 30-40kHz around the centre frequency of 50.130 MHz.

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The kit came with everything I needed to complete the rig, that is, enamelled copper wire, enclosure, knobs, self-adhesive feet and screws. It took me a couple of weekends to complete the assembly and the alignment instructions were clear enough; the only problem was I couldn’t get the VFO working. Perhaps I cooked the 25.065 MHz crystal during soldering, maybe I incorrectly wound the variable inductor that was connected to the crystal. I was disappointed but not too worried as I had other projects I wanted to have a go at so I carefully placed what was effectively a $200 code practice oscillator into storage until such time as I had either a great idea or another 25 MHz crystal. In late 2016 I realised I had both the brainwave and what is effectively a 25 MHz crystal. The crystal is in the form of a LO module that I’ve assembled for a 6m FM transceiver under development as one of my three big projects this year. My LO module is an Si5351a clock generator module that is controlled by an Arduino Nano module with LCD display. It can be seen on the left in the photo below:

The Bodan rig is on the right and has had its original VFO removed. At some stage I might remove the RIT stage because the Arduino’s sketch can easily be edited to enable an offset for CW reception. In the photo below of the Bodan rig itself you can see holes in the front panel where the original TUNE and RIT controls were. Somehow I will have to shoehorn the entire LO module into a smaller volume if I intend to retain the original enclosure. This will require some thoughtful pcb design…

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On the whole though, this story looks likely to have a happy ending as I’ve been able to achieve the claimed 1W of output power so this ticks the QRP box. The receiver section of the Bodan has been tweaked and I can hear the local ZL3SIX beacon on 50.04 MHz so that’s also regarded as a win. The Si5351a clock generator is a marvellous wee box of tricks and I encourage anyone with an interest in radio tinkering to invest in a handful of these modules. Don’t get freaked out by having to solder any surface mount componentry as these modules can be sourced pre-assembled from China for about the same price as two caffe lattes. At that price they represent excellent value for a module will generate a square wave on any frequency you choose up to 112 MHz and at one of four output levels. Gilbert ZL3GIL FISTS#14102 (It is wonderful to see a project come to fruition – even if it was not as originally intended! I hope that other members will have some other projects they could send to me along with a few photographs. – Ed)

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Another article from Peter Parker VK3YE from his book. With thanks to him for his permission to put it in our newsletter - Ed

What’s changed in radio - homebrewing There used to be a huge disparity in the information available to the old-timer with 30 years’ worth of magazine back-issues and numerous books, and the newcomer or returning ham with nothing. Apart from the occasional lecture or overheard discussion, monthly magazines such as Popular Electronics, Radio-Electronics, Wireless World and Electronics Australia were how we stayed abreast of developments. All that has changed. Gone are the days of sitting cross-legged on the library floor hand-copying circuits from books. Instead everyone has free access to more information than they can read in a lifetime. There are circuits of almost any conceivable radio project and numerous demonstrations on YouTube. And if you do want an extract from print, taking a photo with your Smartphone can do the job in seconds. Another button press and your friends get it as well.

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Parts availability has also changed. At one time the industry comprised surly middleman wholesalers who shunned small orders of specialist parts from people without trade accounts. We were instead supposed to buy from local retailers who rarely stocked many RF components. These outlets had the market to themselves as foreign ordering was too hard for most. We’ve since seen the departure of both chain and independent shops from the specialist radio and enthusiast market. Their loyal but small band of customers was insufficient for owners who dropped the small parts, built more and bigger stores and chased the already-competitive consumer market. These strategies proved a failure and within a few years formerly massive chains were gone. There are still some ‘bricks and mortar’ component stores (e.g. Maplin in the UK and Jaycar in Australia) but they are a long trip for many. However, previously trade-only outlets opened to the general public while a host of local and international online suppliers cater for more specialised items. Their prices are often attractive, and individual parts can be shipped here for less than local postage alone could cost. With a worldwide electronic marketplace, even valves, tuning capacitors and crystals are probably easier to get than in the 1990s, though beware of paying inflated ‘vintage’ prices. Test gear has also become more available. Direct-reading inductance and capacitance meters are common, and antenna analysers have largely replaced the old noise bridge and dip oscillator. Enjoyed the read? There’s more in ‘Getting back into Amateur Radio’ by Peter Parker VK3YE. It’s available as an ebook through Amazon for $6.99. Search the title on Amazon, like ‘VK3YE Radio Books’ on Facebook or visit vk3ye.com for more details.

oooooOOOOOooooo The following article comes from Mike (Banjo) VK4MIK #14199;

Morse key now owned by Pat VK4MUY in Cooktown Queensland.

This key was initially owned by Ross VK4AQ who acquired this Morse key from another RAN

Communications Branch member around 1962.

He used this key on HMA Ships Banks, Quiberon, Stuart, Queenborough and Vampire (2 postings).

Shore bases were HMAS

Harman, Tarangau (twice), and

Basilisk. It is interesting that I

have heard of and saw

numerous instances where

“non approved” sideswipers ,

simplex auto’s and keys were

used by the Radio Operators.

Ross sold the key to Mike

vk4mik, also ex RAN, in 2016.

Mike was aware that Pat vk4muy had an interest in getting back into radio

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telegraph again after remembering when she initially got licensed and the mode for the first year was CW only. She had a WT8 key from World War 2 which was light and had to be held down when sending. The key Mike had brought from Ross had a heavy base so would make sending for Pat a bit easier. It was decided that it would be nice to have a turned knob and skirt and Wayne vk4arw took charge of that part of the project. He joined 2 pieces of Meranti timber together to give it sufficient height for a decent sized knob and skirt. Wayne’s neighbour, an 80 year old Gentleman who enjoys wood working, volunteered to turn it up and was just happy to be part of the project. The finished knob was nice looking and had a nice feel to it. Dennis vk4jdj took responsibility for giving it a couple of coats of polyurethane, after fine sanding, and organised its attachment to the key arm. Dennis gave it some tests as well and it passed for operability. I was going up to Cooktown from Cairns to check up on a telegraph display the Tableland Radio Group had put in the Cooktown History Centre – which was the telegraph office from around 1876! So we were able to present Pat with her new key. Pat was quite surprised as she wasn’t aware of what had been going on but was appreciative of all the effort put in by all. De Mike vk4mik

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Rob ZL1CV with his Editors Prize Certificate and ARRL book.

For Sale.

COMPLETE H/F STATION

Kenwood TS 450S (owned from new) Australian model covers 0-40mhz, recently serviced, Kenwood up/down hand mike. Owners manual, original box. MFJ-447 Model, Deluxe Electronic Keyer with Memory. As new, manual original box. MFJ-564 Iambic Paddle as new original box etc Radio sound card interface Home brew. SOLD AS A COMPLETE LOT $850.00 Contact; Turner”Geordie”Fielding ZL1CDX Ph 07-3488853 Email zl1cdx@xtra.co.nz Call book address “I’m good” on QRZ.Com

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ICOM IC706MKIIG NZ $650

IC706MKIIG HF/VHF/UHF station (owned since new) 100w HF, 50 watts VHF and 20watts UHF. Full specs available at http://www.icomamerica.com/en/products/amateur/hf/706/specifications.aspx

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It comes with mobile bracket, original microphone, original manual, face separation cable, face mounting bracket and most important of all – a narrow CW filter! Contact Ian ZL2AIM at Ian.MacQuillan@xtra.co.nz You pay postage. ICOM AT180 ATU NZ $250 Well known auto tuner which I bought for the IC706MKIIG. Contact Ian ZL2AIM at Ian.MacQuillan@xtra.co.nz You pay postage.